Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi trains with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia, in January. | REUTERS
Jul 19, 2026
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week ordered annual testosterone-deficiency screening for active-duty and reserve service members age 30 and older, which he says will help to maintain military readiness.
But many medical professionals warn it might do nothing of the sort and instead could increase service members’ risk of infertility or other consequences if testosterone is prescribed inappropriately.
The mandate is one of several recent healthcare policy changes implemented by Hegseth and other members of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Cabinet that have sparked debate among experts and raised questions about what scientific basis, if any, supports them.
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