Utilization of drugs containing testosterone in Germany
Description
- Drugs containing testosterone are indicated in the treatment of testosterone deficiency caused by a malfunction of the testes, for the treatment of a delayed onset of puberty in boys as well as to stop excessive growth in boys. Using testosterone outside these indications is questionable as it may be associated with certain risks. Especially in middle-aged and older men with an age-related decrease of testosterone, the use of testosterone might increase the risk for undesired effects, especially cardiovascular events. However, current evidence provides conflicting results.
Despite the very specific and narrow indications, prescribing of testosterone has increased in Germany and internationally. Upon introduction of additional restrictions for prescribing, a further increase could be at least partially stopped for several countries (Australia, Canada, UK, US).
Overall, it is still suspected that indications and contra-indications are not taken into consideration for some of the testosterone prescriptions seen, which has been proven partially in studies from Australia and the UK. For Germany, there has been no systematic assessment of the trends of testosterone prescribing and the respective indications and contra-indications.
This project therefore aims to provide a comprehensive description of the prescribing of drugs containing testosterone including time-trends in Germany for the years 2006 to 2021 using German claims data.
Funding period
- Begin: March 2023
End: February 2024
Sponsor
- Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices