On Dec. 15, Sprout Pharmaceuticals received approval to use its pill, Addyi (flibanserin), to treat low sexual desire in women who are past menopause. Addyi works by addressing neurotransmitters like dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin in the brain, balancing them to stimulate sexual desire signals while suppressing inhibitory ones. The pill has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 2015 to treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in pre-menopausal women, and the expanded approval includes women under age 65 who are past menopause, a time when hormone levels drop and libido changes. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] The FDA required Sprout to conduct additional tests on women after menopause to ensure the drug’s safety and efficacy in the larger age group—a requirement that Cindy Eckert, Sprout’s CEO, says represents a double standard and stigma against addressing sexual desire in women. Eckert discussed with TIME the company’s long road to the approval and the larger issues facing certain medicines for women. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. What does finally receiving FDA approval for Addyi in post-menopausal women mean for women’s health? I might not have fully processed yet how big this win is. It’s an historic first in women’s health. I think this signifies not only scientific recognition of a medical condition that affects millions of women that had been previously discussed only with stigma, not science, but also a cultural recognition that we value sexual health as part of women’s overall wellness, their longevity, and their…
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