Controversial, FDA Allows Female Libido Drug to be Used by the Elderly

JAKARTA - The United States health authorities are expanding the use of a drug that increases women's sexual arousal, which has been the subject of debate. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated that the pill, which is taken once a day, can now be used by postmenopausal women up to the age of 65.

The announcement was made by the FDA on Monday, December 15, 2025. With this decision, the use of a drug called Addyi is no longer limited to premenopausal women. Addyi was first approved about 10 years ago for women who have not yet reached menopause and experience emotional distress due to low sexual desire.

Addyi is marketed by Sprout Pharmaceuticals and was initially expected to be a best-seller because it was considered to fill an important void in women's health. However, along the way, this drug has caused a number of unpleasant side effects, such as dizziness and nausea. In addition, Addyi also has a strong warning regarding alcohol consumption.

In the warning label, it is stated that drinking alcohol while using Addyi can cause blood pressure to drop drastically to the point of fainting. If the patient drinks alcohol in sufficient quantities, it is recommended to wait a few hours before taking the drug, or skip a dose.

Addyi sales alone did not meet initial market expectations. The drug works by affecting chemicals in the brain that are linked to mood and appetite. In 2019, the FDA approved the second drug for low libido in women, in the form of an injection that is used as needed and works through a different neural mechanism.

"This latest approval reflects the company's decade-long work with the FDA to change the way women's sexual health is understood and prioritized," said Cindy Eckert, CEO of Sprout Pharmaceuticals, quoted from Fortune.

Medical conditions characterized by low sexual desire are significantly known as hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). This condition has been known since the 1990s and based on surveys it is estimated to affect quite a lot of women in the United States.

After the great success of Viagra for men in the 1990s, pharmaceutical companies began pouring huge funds into researching sexual disorders in women.

However, diagnosing this condition is not simple. Many factors can affect libido, especially after menopause, when hormone decline triggers various biological changes and medical symptoms.

Doctors are required to rule out other possible causes, such as relationship problems, certain diseases, depression, or other mental disorders, before prescribing medication. The diagnosis of HSDD is also still a matter of debate. A number of psychologists argue that low sexual desire is not always worth considering as a medical problem.

Before being approved in 2015, the FDA had twice rejected Addyi on the grounds that its effectiveness was limited and the side effects were considered alarming.

The approval was finally granted after a lobbying campaign from companies and a support group called Even the Score, which raised the issue of the lack of treatment options for female libido as a women's rights issue.

The FDA emphasized that this latest approval applies to postmenopausal women up to age 65, not over that age.