
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that he is rolling out a new screening programme for “testosterone deficiency” among troops, calling it necessary to allow them to operate at their “absolute best”.
The screenings will be conducted annually as part of service members’ required medical screenings for those 30 and older, he said. Troops under 30 can volunteer to be tested.
In a video on social media, Hegseth said receiving testosterone replacement therapy would be voluntary.
In the video, Hegseth simply refers to troops, though it appears he is talking about only testing men in uniform for hormone irregularities.
The move comes as other Trump administration officials have begun to advocate for men to have easier access to testosterone replacement therapies, but the messaging from Hegseth and others blends known science on the hormone with broader, and less substantiated, claims.
When asked about what conditions Hegseth was looking to address with the new policy, the Pentagon referred to Hegseth’s remarks in the video that mentioned keeping troops “strong, resilient and capable” and that the rigours of the modern battlefield demand “maximum psychological and mental readiness”.

Don't Miss:
-
Japan changes rules to save shrinking monarchy, but bars female emperors
-
‘Gateway to Asean’: South Korea bets on Vietnam hub for food expansion
-
Hong Kong issues amber rainstorm warning, tells public to brace for possible floods
-
Renovation contractors deserve ‘strongest condemnation’ over Tai Po fire
-
Trump’s China election claims mark new front in the rivalry, analysts say

The Subcontinent’s Philosophical Rupture
Can Small Modular Reactors Make Nuclear Work in Southeast Asia
West Virginia State Senate Race Comes Down to Two Words — Data Centers