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Hegseth announces annual testosterone screenings for service members
The new policy adds testing to annual health assessments, while treatment after a low result will remain optional, Hegseth said.
- On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the Pentagon will require annual testosterone deficiency screenings for active-duty service members age 30 and older, integrating the test into existing periodic health assessments troops already complete each year.
- Research showing declines in men's testosterone levels since the 1990s prompted Congress to include a measure in the fiscal year 2025 national defense bill requesting briefings on treatments and protocols, while special operations veterans identified low testosterone as a critical health issue.
- Hegseth characterized the initiative as voluntary medical care, stating 'If treatment is recommended, it's entirely your choice to receive testosterone replacement therapy,' and emphasized the program aims at 'restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities' rather than artificial enhancement.
- Implementation details remain pending as the Pentagon determines rollout timing across military branches, though service members under 30 will have the option to undergo voluntary screening despite facing no mandatory requirement.
- The testosterone initiative caps a series of body-focused reforms Hegseth has implemented since taking office, including mandatory daily physical training and his September ban on beard exemptions; during a June Navy visit, he pressed enforcement affecting sailors with razor bumps, a condition affecting an estimated 60 percent of Black men.
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources37
Leaning Left15Leaning Right6Center14Last UpdatedBias Distribution43% Left
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources lean Left
43% Left
L 43%
C 40%
R 17%
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