Testosterone shortage hits transgender people

There is a nationwide stockout in South Africa of Depo-testosterone, the brand name for testosterone cypionate injections, manufactured by Pfizer and used as replacement therapy by transgender people who are medically transitioning from female to male.

The therapy has to be consistent and taken for the rest of one’s life. It is not known how many transgender people in SA need Depo-testosterone, commonly known as “T”.

It is also given to men who do not produce enough natural testosterone and sometimes to boys to cause puberty when it is delayed.

Stock has not been available nationwide for more than a week.

An option in SA is Nebido, which costs R2 400 and has to be given every 10 to 14 weeks. The other, Sustanon, is not available locally.

Pfizer did not answer questions about why the product is out of stock or if rumours are true that it has stopped producing it.

A statement said: “We are expecting to resume supply by the end of February 2019... We recommend that patients [seek] alternative treatments.”

Republished from groundup.org.za