There is now an implant that achieves castration for over one year in men:

http://pharmalicensing.com/licensing/displicopp/1951

Vantas is approved and marketed in the US, and has preregistration development status in Denmark.

Vantas is an implant utilizing Hydron Technology to deliver histrelin over a 12-month period for the palliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer. The total number of patients with advanced prostate cancer in the U.S. was 666,300 in 2004. We estimate the patient population to be similar in Europe, and we plan to file an application for regulatory approval in the European Union in the first half of 2005.

The current standard of care for the palliative treatment of prostate cancer is LHRH agonist therapy. An agonist is a chemical substance capable of activating a receptor to induce a full or partial pharmacological response. LHRH agonist therapies for advanced prostate cancer are designed to suppress the production of testosterone because testosterone promotes and accelerates the growth of tumors associated with prostate cancer. Histrelin, a powerful inhibitor of testosterone production, is the most potent LHRH agonist available.

Total U.S. sales of LHRH agonist products for the palliative treatment of prostate cancer were approximately $973 million in 2004 based on IMS Health market data. The most common dosage forms for the administration of LHRH agonists involve three- and four-month injection formulations such as Lupron and Eligard, which deliver leuprolide, and Zoladex, a biodegradable rod, which delivers goserelin. Another product is Viadur, a rigid metal implant that releases leuprolide over a 12-month period.

We believe that Vantas is a more comfortable and convenient alternative to competing products because it eliminates the requirement of multiple physician visits and repeated injections and is smaller, softer and more flexible than other implants. Some patients, however, may prefer injections over implants. In addition, in our Phase III clinical trial for Vantas, 100% of the evaluable patients achieved chemical castration at week four and testosterone suppression was maintained throughout the 52-week study period for 99% of the patients. Based on these data, we believe Vantas is a highly effective product for the palliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer. During the Phase III clinical trial, side effects included hot flashes, fatigue and implant site reactions, such as swelling and redness.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer for men and the second leading cause of cancer death in men. According to the American Cancer Society, every year approximately 200,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and 30,000 die from this disease. The National Cancer Institute's SEER Program and the National Oncology Database each project that this patient group will grow at an annual rate of 2% to 3% per year through 2008 and beyond.

We are currently selling and marketing Vantas through our sales force to the urologists that account for the majority of LHRH agonist product sales in the U.S. Our product specialists utilize various promotional materials when making clinical presentations, including instructional videos on proper implantation technique. In remote areas where our product specialists cannot make personal visits, we conduct direct mail programs and telemarketing campaigns to selected physicians. We may also supply physicians, health plan administrators and specialty pharmacies with a pharmaco- economic model to demonstrate the cost effectiveness of Vantas compared to other LHRH agonist products due to decreased utilization of staff time for repeated injections and a single reimbursement claim per year as opposed to three or four. Additionally, we support our sales efforts by employing a wide range of marketing programs to promote Vantas, including journal advertising, industry publications, medical educational conferences and internet initiatives.

Supplin LA was approved in 2007. So this is old news, but I did not find Supplin LA in searching the EA.

Initially intended to stop precocious sexual development in children, it too can suppress the development of testosterone in men.

The target market for adult men is those who have developed prostate cancer and who do not have the prostate removed.

It seems pointless to keep your prostate and reduce your testosterone level.

Reduced testosterone = loss of libido and sexual functioning.

Why keep the prostate and lose sexual functioning. ?

Use of the drug adds to your life potential complications with its implanting, and numerous potential side effects.

And use of the drug does not guarantee that the cancer will be suppressed in a prostate that is not removed.

The clear choice would be to remove the prostate, or remove the balls, or both.

The clear choice would be to NOT use a drug that may cause side effects, and is no guarantee that cancer in the prostate will be suppressed.

Who wants to be a statistic, one out of 30 or 40 or 50 thousand who die from prostate cancer.

Get rid of the prostate.

Get castrated to eliminate risk of cross contamination of the cancer into the testes.

Don't add polluting expensive drugs to your system............unless maybe adding testosterone to make up for the loss of your testes, if you must.

Good surgeons can remove the prostate without damaging the nerves that make erections possible.

It is quite possible to have no prostate, no balls, and still function sexually, if that is what you want.

Personally, I'm all for getting rid of the gonads before prostate cancer develops.

Although that was not my initial reason for being in need of eliminating testosterone, it is yet one more good reason as far as I am concerned.

Nature however has different plans.

Through testosterone and DNA it builds into a man an incessant perceived need to reproduce. Hummpa, Hummpa.

The sex drive overpowers reason, logic, and sanity.

A guy would rather risk taking drugs to maybe reduce prostate cancer risk than do what will remove and eliminate prostate risk.

And drug companies are happy to accommodate that mindset.

You would think that insurance companies would rather pay for a one time castration, than years of expensive drugs.

The fear of losing sexual function is a strong fear.

Too bad that those who have that fear can't experience for awhile the benefits of not being controlled and manipulated by testosterone.

We may never know how many men who had Low T wind up developing prostate cancer because they were convinced by the drug companies to take T supplements.

Out of the frying pan, and into the fire.

....

nullorchis (imported) wrote: Fri May 24, 2013 2:00 am Personally, I'm all for getting rid of the gonads before prostate cancer develops.

...t is yet one more good reason as far as I am concerned.

...The sex drive overpowers reason, logic, and sanity.

...Too bad that those who have that fear can't experience for awhile the benefits of not being controlled and manipulated by testosterone.

...

Anytime I've seen a new physician since my surgery, they have been sure to mention the prophylactic benefit of my never having to worry about getting prostate cancer anymore. Prostate cancer is the largest type of cancer that men often face as they get older.

Once one loses the interest in having sex, over time it no longer matters to that person. Its akin to stopping smoking or drinking alcohol once the craving is gone. One asks oneself, "Why didn't I do this much sooner?"

And like the cessation of any addiction, it must be supplanted with something else. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle for the rest of one's life is a necessity if one wants to reap the benefits of castration and avoid the unwanted side effects.

The admonition often seen on this site to "do a test drive" is a good one. Permanent castration is not something that one should jump into without first considering and personally experiencing all the consequences to first determine if it's the right decision for that person. Chances are, however, it seems that those who do take this first step will more likely than not follow through because they like it, eventually making this significant life changer permanent.