McCain Dodges the Birth Control Bullet
Posted on July 14, 2008
Filed Under Politics, Sex, Women | Comments Off on McCain Dodges the Birth Control Bullet
Republican Sen. John McCain resisted being dragged into a discussion last week about insurance companies that will cover erectile dysfunction drugs like Viagra but not birth control products. “I certainly do not want to discuss that issue,” the presidential candidate said when a reporter asked him about it on his campaign bus. Carly Fiorina, a top McCain supporter, stirred talk about the topic at a recent Washington breakfast with reporters. The former Hewlett-Packard chief executive discussing consumer-driven health insurance, said “I’ve been hearing a lot from women: There are many health insurance plans that will cover Viagra but won’t cover birth-control medication. Those women would like a choice.”
“The underlying problem here really may be that there is no female equivalent of Viagra, says Stephen M. Simes, CEO of BioSante Pharmaceuticals. “It is shocking to some that 10 years after Viagra’s introduction, there is currently no FDA approved product to treat women who suffer from low sex drive, which may affect as many as 30-40% of American women. This is the real inequality that should be addressed. Women also would like and are entitled to a choice just like men have had for 10 years.”
BioSante is the only company presently addressing Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder, often referred to as low sex drive, in menopausal women. Their LibiGel, ( or testosterone cream) is designed to restore sexual desire and activity in post-menopausal women to levels they want and experienced before menopause. Currently this option is not covered by insurance companies.
