Despite its extensive clinical testing, a medical journal devoted to research into drug treatments has cast doubt as to the efficacy of the one of the leading treatments for female sexual dysfunction, Intrinsa. The Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin have said that the trials into the treatment involved too selective a group of patients, that diagnosis was based on short, invalidated questionnaires and that women taking the placebo medication also reported an improvement in their sex lives.
The patch, manufactured by Proctor and Gamble Pharmaceuticals, is designed to combat the diminishing of sexual desire in post-menopausal women, known as hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) by releasing a daily dose of the hormone testosterone into the bloodstream through a patch placed on the abdomen. It is given to women who are also being given treatment to raise their levels of the oestrogen. Proctor and Gamble say that the medication has been extensively tested and proven to work.
The scientists have suggested that the results from women taking the placebo suggest that testosterone was not the issue in the first place and have also drawn attention to the potential side effects of Intrinsa. Proctor and Gamble have rigorously defended the claims, saying that having gone through trials with over 1,000 women they are convinced of the efficacy of the product and also pointing out that they have in place an independently managed safety advisory board and risk management plan.