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Response to: Efficacy of changing testosterone gel preparations (Androgel or Testim) among suboptimally responsive hypogonadal men

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 20, page 331 (2008)Cite this article

The article by Grober et al.1 provides valuable clinical information regarding the two Food and Drug Administration-approved formulations of testosterone (T) gels, Androgel and Testim. The authors are to be credited for pointing out that a sizable percentage of men (20% in this study) either do not absorb gels adequately, or may object to them for other reasons. The authors have also shown that switching from one brand of gel to the other may resolve these problems, and have thus provided the first solid rationale for trying a different T-gel brand rather than moving immediately to T injections.

However, I wish to offer an alternative view to one of the primary conclusions of the authors. The authors write that switching from Androgel to Testim may resolve a suboptimal biochemical response (inadequate serum T), but switching from Testim to Androgel is unlikely to offer the same benefit. This latter conclusion appears to be contradicted by the authors' own data.

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References

  1. Grober ED, Khera M, Soni SD, Espinoza MG, Lipshultz LI . Efficacy of changing testosterone gel preparations (Androgel or Testim) among suboptimally responsive hypogonadal men. Int J Impot Res; [e-pub ahead of print: 27 September 2007; doi: 10.1038/sj.ijir.3901618].

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  1. Men's Health Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. E-mail: amorgent@yahoo.com,

    A Morgentaler

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  1. A Morgentaler
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Conflict of interest

I have received honoraria from Auxilium, Solvay, Watson and Indevus pharmaceutical companies for lectures, research, consulting and/or scientific advisory boards.

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Morgentaler, A. Response to: Efficacy of changing testosterone gel preparations (Androgel or Testim) among suboptimally responsive hypogonadal men. Int J Impot Res 20, 331 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijir.2008.5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ijir.2008.5

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