NCHR Testifies Against New Testosterone Pill

January 9, 2018. Testosterone replacement can help patients with hypogonadism live a normal life. A new oral drug might be beneficial, but this drug raises concern of potential harms. On a chemical level, the drug works, but we don’t know whether it meaningfully helps patients in the long run. Long term studies with patient-centered outcomes may provide more certainty. In addition, the data do not provide reasonable assurance that this drug is safe. We need additional safety data and drug interaction data before this drug is approved. Furthermore, if we consider potential misuse as part of the risk/benefit evaluation, then the potential for harm surely exceeds the drug’s benefits. Therefore we cannot recommend approval at this time.

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Phthalates and Children’s Products

The ban on phthalates is the result of a law passed in 2008, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. The law permanently bans BBP, DBP and DEHP from toys and child care products, and temporarily bans DIDP, DINP and DnOP until a scientific board (the Chronic Hazard Advisory Panel) determines for the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) whether or not they are safe. A few months before the bill passed, major retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target, and Babies “R” Us promised to remove or severely restrict children’s products containing phthalates by the end of 2008. But children and adults in the U.S. are STILL EXPOSED to phthalates in many other products, including shampoo, soap, lotions, and food packaging.

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