The United States (US) Department of Defense has announced mandatory annual testosterone screening for all active-duty military personnel aged 30 and above, aiming to identify and address hormone deficiencies that could affect health and operational readiness.
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US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth unveiled the policy in a video message, saying testosterone levels naturally decline with age and that maintaining healthy hormone levels is important for ensuring troops can perform at their best.
Under the new policy, testosterone testing will become a mandatory part of annual physical examinations for service members aged 30 and older. Troops under the age of 30 may also request the screening voluntarily.
If testing reveals low testosterone levels, affected personnel may be offered testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). However, defense officials stressed that undergoing treatment will remain entirely voluntary, with the final decision resting with each individual service member.
The announcement follows recent changes by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which eased certain restrictions on testosterone replacement therapy for age-related hormone deficiency after reviewing updated scientific evidence on its safety and effectiveness.
The decision has sparked political debate in Washington, particularly among Democratic lawmakers. Critics accused the administration of inconsistency, pointing out that it recently restricted military service by transgender personnel, many of whom rely on hormone therapy as part of gender-affirming care.
Democratic Representative Summer Lee questioned the move on social media, suggesting it amounted to government-backed gender-affirming treatment. Senator Tammy Duckworth also criticised the policy, arguing it closely resembled the hormone therapies the administration has opposed for transgender individuals.
Supporters of the initiative argue that testosterone replacement for medically diagnosed hormone deficiency differs from gender-affirming care and is intended solely to improve the health, fitness and combat readiness of military personnel.
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The Pentagon has not yet announced when the new screening programme will be fully implemented across all branches of the US armed forces.