Dr. Parviz Kavoussi was invited to serve as a panelist for the section on controversies in men’s health for the south central section of the American Urological Association annual meeting. Dr. Kavoussi was charged with the task of discussing testosterone deficiency, including its treatment options and the potential implications for reproductive health. It has been well established that testosterone replacement therapy of the majority of types, has a detrimental impact on sperm. Unfortunately, this is a fact that is under-recognized, even amongst many medical professionals. Dr. Kavoussi states, “It is very frustrating for many couples that I see frequently trying to conceive while their sperm production is suppressed by testosterone replacement therapy, as they were not appropriately counseled on this side effect by their prescribing provider. There is a great deal of education that is needed to help providers counsel patients appropriately regarding this effect, so I was very pleased to be able to contribute to that level of education. Although it has become more challenging to educate during this pandemic, I am thankful for the virtual platforms that still allow for education through societies such as the south central section of the AUA.” Dr. Kavoussi also speaks on the good news being that we have other medications that are effective at treating low testosterone in a fertility preserving manner that do not have an adverse impact on sperm.
