Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the potential impact of testosterone levels in women on (a) normal metabolic functioning, (b) cognitive functioning, (c) mood, (d) bone and muscle strength, (e) urinary health and (f) reproductive health was considered by NICE when its guidance on Menopause: Diagnosis and Management was most recently revised; and whether NICE plans to take those factors into consideration for its next review of this guidance.

In developing its guideline on the diagnosis and management of menopause, published in 2015, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) considered the effectiveness, including risks and benefits, of testosterone in the management and relief of menopause-related symptoms including vasomotor, musculoskeletal and psychological symptoms, as well as altered sexual function. The guideline recommends that testosterone supplementation should be considered for menopausal women with low sexual desire if hormone replacement therapy alone is not effective.

NICE is currently updating its guideline on the diagnosis and management of menopause, which it expects to publish in February 2024. During its surveillance and scoping process, NICE did not identify any substantive new evidence on the use of testosterone beyond the existing recommendations. NICE discussed the need for evidence in this area with the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) who have agreed to scope new research. The NIHR launched the research call in December 2022 and more information on is available at the following link:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/22170-testosterone-for-the-treatment-of-menopause-symptoms-beyond-altered-sexual-function/32031