A Bradford pharmacy has partnered with a local menopause clinic to provide “clinically governed” testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), while also working to dispel misinformation surrounding the treatment.
Mohammed Lakhi, a pharmacist of ten years and owner of The Care Pharmacy in Bradford, said he was first introduced to TRT on social media.
“Over-eagerness” to begin TRT
He told C+D he noticed an emerging trend called “testosterone optimising”, which encouraged men to “jump on TRT” to resolve issues such as low mood, decreased libido and a lack of energy.
“We’re seeing a lot more men asking questions about testosterone and hormonal health,” Lakhi said, “but there’s also a lot of confusion around it.”
Having observed “an over-eagerness” from men to begin TRT, Lakhi identified “an opportunity for a pharmacy to provide a properly governed route for men who are concerned about their symptoms”.
Read more: Pharmacy should be ‘first port of call’ for menopause care
He decided that The Care Pharmacy should fill that gap and paired with local business the MenoClinic to deliver informed and closely monitored testosterone treatment to those who need it.
Men who visit the pharmacy concerned about their testosterone levels must first complete a questionnaire, which establishes whether their symptoms are indicative of a deficiency in the hormone, Lakhi said.
If the patient’s symptoms suggest low testosterone levels, a finger prick blood test will be encouraged to provide insight across four biomarkers, including testosterone.
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And if levels appear even slightly below average, a second, more comprehensive blood test assessing 59 biomarkers can be completed.
This paints a clearer picture of the patient’s health and can reveal “any other deficiencies or issues” that Lakhi and his team should address before TRT is explored.
“A last resort”
“We need to look beyond testosterone at a holistic model and the patient’s health as a whole,” Lakhi said.
“Before even thinking about TRT, we need to make sure that sleep is dialed in, that stress is low and that [the patient’s] diet and exercise is right. TRT comes as a last resort.”
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If other methods of treatment are unsuccessful, the patient will be referred to the pharmacy’s partner, MenoClinic, whose founder specialised in menopause care before branching into TRT prescribing.
Any patients prescribed TRT will be “strictly monitored”, with follow-up blood tests administered to ascertain the correct dosage and ensure minimal side effects, Lakhi said.
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It comes after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld two issues against BioID Health and one against Numan over Facebook ads relating to testosterone services.
The regulator said that the rulings form part of a “wider piece of work on ads relating to low testosterone, identified for investigation following complaints and intelligence gathered by our Active Ad Monitoring system”.
