Pentagon withdraws testosterone screening guidance for military program

The Pentagon abruptly withdrew clinical guidance for its new mandatory testosterone screening program on Thursday, less than 24 hours after it was published online. The guidance, issued by the Defense Health Agency, was intended to implement a military preparedness initiative announced by War Secretary Pete Hegseth in July. A Department of War spokesperson confirmed the document was temporarily rescinded to allow for updates, with a finalized version to be issued shortly. The guidance, which was posted on Wednesday and removed by Thursday morning, had outlined separate screening protocols for male and female service members. For men, it mandated annual testosterone blood testing for all active-duty and reserve personnel aged 30 and older as part of their routine health assessments. Younger male service members would have been tested only if clinicians identified warning signs or if they opted in. For women, the guidance did not mandate testosterone blood draws but directed providers to screen for symptoms of hormonal dysregulation, such as fatigue and menstrual irregularities.