In recognition of World AIDS Day, we urge Congressional leaders in the United States to carefully consider the significant harm that morally-guided U.S. steroid policy has had for the life-saving therapeutic applications offered by anabolic-androgenic steroids. The criminalization of anabolic steroids and steroid hysteria perpetuated by Congressional steroid hearings has had an adverse impact on medical research and medical therapies involving anabolic steroids, particularly in the prevention and treatment of HIV+ associated wasting disease.
Anabolic steroids are one of the safest and most effective treatments for HIV associated wasting and have been invaluable in helping HIV+ patients retain, preserve and restore lean body weight and stay alive. Given that wasting is one of the most common symptoms of HIV and that HIV+ patients with wasting symptoms have significantly higher mortality rates, anabolic steroids have been an invaluable medical treatment.
Michael Mooney, of Medibolics, and Nelson Vergel, of the Program for Wellness Restoration, have spearheaded educational efforts and have extensively documented the benefits of anabolic steroid therapy for AID/HIV wasting in “Built to Survive“. Mooney and Vergel have discussed the negative consequences arising from the demonization of steroids by the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990 Read more
HIV activist Michael Mooney speaks about the therapeutic applications of testosterone and anabolic steroids for HIV wasting in a deleted scene from “Bigger Stronger Faster.” Mooney is the co-author of Built to Survive (along with Nelson Vergel) and wrote about steroids and HIV for the anabolic steroid and bodybuilding magazine Muscle Media 2000.
I still meet people who obviously have a serious problem with testosterone deficiency who have all the old AIDS symptoms and the doctor will not give them testosterone because their doctor is so afraid of the legal implications. Thousands of people have died because their doctor wouldn’t prescribe testosterone or anabolic steroids for their HIV.
The “war on steroids” in the United States has been highly effective in one regard; it has limited the availability of anabolic steroids for those individuals who use steroids as a matter of medical necessity. Nelson Vergel has written about the problems arising from the nation’s steroid hysteria as it affects the medical applications of steroids. These problems include Watson Pharmaceuticals discontinuation of nandrolone decanoate (Deca Durabolin) and the increasingly limited number of compounding pharmacies that offer nandrolone.
Since nandrolone decanoate is no longer manufacturer by any U.S. pharmaceutical company, it is difficult to find in the United States with availability limited to compounding pharmacies. Members of Vergel’s Yahoo Group PozHealth have researched and identified only five compounding pharmacies nationwide that still offer nandrolone decanoate with a valid medical prescription (and in some cases, additional requirements) ["Nandrolone Prices at Compounding Pharmacies," March 28).
Prices of a 10mL vial Nandrolone Decanoate (200 mg/ml) at Compounding Pharmacies
[NOTE: Pricing and compounding pharmacy has been removed per request. The publication of such information has regrettably caused adverse attention for at least one compounding pharmacy.]
Two other compounding pharmacies have ceased production of nandrolone decanoate due to federal pressure and/or limited availability of the raw materials (Applied Pharmacy Services and Leiter’s Pharmacy, respectively).
We desperately need a rational discussion on anabolics steroids to replace the steroid demonization and steroid hysteria sweeping our country. Legislation and federal actions involving anabolic steroids over the past several years have arguably done nothing to decrease steroid use among professional athletes or high school athletes; the war on steroids has indisputably compromised the available of anabolic steroids for medical purposes in affected populations. This is the real crime.
The supply of pharmaceutical quality nandrolone decanoate by prescription is becoming very limited within the United States. Watson Pharmaceuticals was the only pharmaceutical company producing Deca Durabolin (nandrolone decanoate) in the U.S. It was available by prescription and could be obtained at most pharmacies around the country.
Watson claimed that Deca Durabolin was discontinued in March 2007 because the raw ingredients were no longer available from the FDA-approved supplier of the powder (”AIDS activists upset by dropped wasting drug,” April 19, 2007).
Patricia Eisenhaur, director of investor relations for Watson Pharmaceuticals, confirmed that Deca-Durabolin, also known as nandrolone decanoate, an anabolic steroid prescribed by physicians to combat AIDS wasting, was discontinued on March 20.
According to Eisenhaur, the active ingredient to manufacture the drug was no longer available from the Food and Drug Administration-approved supplier. Eisenhaur was unable to provide the name of the supplier, which was the only approved manufacturer of the active ingredient.
Obviously, those familiar with black market androgens know that there is no nandrolone decanoate powder shortage. Nelson Vergel of the HIV Blog explains the real reasons why Watson discontinued production (”Important information about nandrolone in the U.S.” March 17).
The decision from the manufacturer (Watson) to stop making nandrolone decanoate (an effective injectable medicine to treat unintentional weight loss and to increase muscle mass) was based on economics and political pressure.
Watson stopped making it because:
- It is a generic CHEAP drug
- They can sell expensive Oxandrin instead. Oxandrin is approved for unintentional weight loss but costs $1200 a month and can cause liver toxicity in some.
- Nandrolone’s indication is for anemia and no doctor uses it for that purpose, so they prescribe it legally off label.
- Congress and the DEA are treating anabolics like the treat crack-cocaine and are closely watching every prescriber’s and manufacturer’s move. No HIV doc has ever got in trouble since many studies have shown nandrolone’s benefit and can justify its medical use. However, inexperienced HIV doctors who have not been around long enough to know its history shy away from prescribing due to the bad publicity and misconceptions around these medicines.
Nandrolone decanoate is still available [link removed] from a few compounding pharmacies. However, under extreme federal pressure resulting from the steroids in sports scandals, fewer and fewer compounding pharmacies are willing produce nandrolone medications. As a result, compounding pharmacies are quickly dropping nandrolone decanoate.
Applied Pharmacy stopped all production due to DEA pressure. Some compounders are making doctors sign a waiver to say they will not prescribe nandrolone for non medical uses. Some doctors feel this represents extra liability.
Applied Pharmacy is a compounding pharmacy that provided pharmaceutical quality anabolic steroid and hormone preparations to customers with medical prescriptions. They became the target of a federal probe resulting from prosecutor and political opportunist David Soares’ far reaching steroid scandal investigation. They stopped production of all anabolic steroids as a result.
