Marking Territory—Now and for the Future

Abstract

I recently had the opportunity to present public testimony at a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel for flibanserin, a medication currently being considered by the FDA for the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women [ 1 Kennedy S. Flibanserin: Initial evidence of efficacy on sexual dysfunction, in patients with major depressive disorder. J Sex Med. 2010; Google Scholar ]. This was not the first time a pharmaceutical company had attempted to get a medication approved for the indication of HSDD [ 2 DeRogatis L.R. Graziottin A. Bitzer J. Schmitt S. Koochaki P.E. Rodenberg C. Clinically relevant changes in sexual desire, satisfying sexual activity and personal distress as measured by the profile of female sexual function, sexual activity log, and personal distress scale in postmenopausal women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder. J Sex Med. 2009; 6: 175-183 Crossref PubMed Scopus (27) Google Scholar ] in women with sexual dysfunction and most likely will not be the last [ 3 Kingsberg S.A. Simon J.A. Goldstein I. The current outlook for testosterone in the management of hypoactive sexual desire disorder in postmenopausal women. J Sex Med. 2008; 5: 182-193 Crossref PubMed Scopus (58) Google Scholar ]. My thoughts for this editorial are related to the patients we see every day, not the actual pharmaceutical product.