The Pentagon's Testosterone Screening Plan and the Case for a Safer Path Forward

What the questionnaire and blood tests will find, the real risks of synthetic testosterone for aging men and deployed women, and why botanical alternatives offer the readiness benefits without harms.

By Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH

I have always viewed our men and women in the military has having courage and incredible skill when called into duty. Not once did I ever feel our brave soldiers were inherently lacking, however, Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has another view.

The Testosterone Gambit: Hegseth’s Screening Plan

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth wants to screen service members over 30 for low testosterone. The over-age-30 share of the 2.7 million force is roughly 50–60% including most officers. Optimizing the hormonal health of the force is not inherently a bad idea. The problem is that the proposed mechanism—questionnaire, then blood draw, then synthetic testosterone injections—must be carefully considered. The initiative has already been paused.