Chemical castration is a legal body chemical treatment that has been used since around 1944 to reduce the level of testosterone in men, and also in women, seeing as the hormone triggers the sex drive in both. It is done through the administration of antiandrogen drugs, either in pill form or more commonly via injections.
What are the medical uses of chemical castration?
A major medical use of chemical castration is in the treatment of hormone-dependent cancers, such as some prostate cancer, where it has largely replaced the practice of surgical castration. Chemical castration involves the administration of antiandrogen drugs, such as cyproterone acetate, flutamide, or gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists .
Can'chemical castration'cure prostate cancer?
June 12, 2009 - There's no shortcut to three years of difficult "chemical castration" hormone therapy for men receiving radiation treatment for locally advanced prostate cancer. But there are silver linings to the finding, from European clinical trials led by Michel Bolla, MD, of the University of Grenoble, France.
Does chemical castration become permanent?
If given long enough chemical castration would become permanent. It depends on the type of chemical castration and how long the treatment is continued. The type of chemical castration most often talked about is basically giving a male, female hormones to counteract the production of testosterone in their testicles.
What are the different types of castration?
Castration is done through two different procedures: In surgical castration, the testes are surgically removed from both the sides. Thus, the effects of this type of castration are permanent. In medical or chemical castration, drugs are administered at regular intervals to reduce the levels of testosterone in the body,...
What does chemical castration do to a man?
The purpose of chemical castration is to lower the levels of male hormones, or androgens. The main androgens are testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). According to a 2012 research review, about 90 to 95 percent of androgens are made in your testicles. The rest come from your adrenal glands.
How long does a chemical castration last?
LHRH agonists stop testosterone production in the testicles. They are administered as a depot injection right under the skin or into the muscle. These injections can last for 1, 3, 6 or 12 months.
What drug do they use for chemical castration?
Leuprolide acetate is an LHRH agonist that is most commonly used in chemical castration today. This drug has been observed as having higher rates of success in reducing abnormal sexual urges and fantasies, but is often reserved for those offenders who are at a high risk of reoffending due to the drug's intense effects.
What are the benefits of human castration?
Body strength and muscle mass can decrease. Bone structure becomes softer and more slender. Body hair may sometimes decrease and is less coarse. Castration stops the progression of male pattern baldness.
What is chemical castration?
Anna Efetova/GettyImages. Chemical castration is the use of drugs to lower the production of hormones in your testicles. Doctors use this method to treat hormone-related cancers, such as prostate cancer. Other names for chemical castration are:
How long does chemical castration last?
Chemical castration lasts as long as you continue to take the drugs. Once you stop taking them, hormone production returns to normal. The effects are generally reversible. But if you’ve been taking the medications for a long time, some side effects may continue.
What are the side effects of chemical castration?
Side effects of chemical castration can include: reduced or absent sexual desire. erectile dysfunction (ED) shrinkage of testicles and penis. fatigue. hot flashes. breast tenderness and growth of breast tissue ( gynecomastia) Over the long term, chemical castration may also lead to: osteoporosis.
Is castration reversible?
Once you stop, they’re generally reversible. Surgical castration, also called orchiectomy, is the removal of one or both testicles. It can be considered a surgical form of hormone therapy. According to the National Cancer Institute, this procedure can lower testosterone in your blood by 90 to 95 percent.
Can prostate cancer be castrated?
Prostate cancers tend to be castration-sensitive early on. Over time, they can become castration-resistant, but may still be responsive to: anti-androgens. chemotherapy. immune therapy. Chemical castration can also be used to slow the progression of male breast cancer.
Does castration cause osteoporosis?
But some side effects, such as osteoporosis, can become long-term concerns. Chemical castration is primarily used to treat hormone-dependent conditions, such as prostate cancer.
Why was chemical castration used?
Chemical castration was often seen as an easier alternative to life imprisonment or the death penalty because it allowed the release of the convicted. In 1981, in an experiment by P. Gagne, 48 males with long-standing histories of sexually deviant behaviour were given medroxyprogesterone acetate for as long as 12 months.
What is the drug used for castration?
The drug cyproterone acetate has been commonly used for chemical castration throughout Europe. It resembles the drug MPA used in America. A law allowing voluntary chemical castration was created in the UK in 2007 by then home secretary John Reid.
What happened to the child sex offender who was subject to chemical castration?
In 2010, a repeat child sex offender who had been subject to chemical castration was accused of inappropriately touching and kissing a young girl. He was found not guilty by a jury, which was not informed of the context of his previous offenses.
When was castration first used?
The first use of chemical castration occurred in 1944, when diethylstilbestrol was used with the purpose of lowering men's testosterone. The antipsychotic agent benperidol was sometimes used to diminish sexual urges in people who displayed as then thought inappropriate sexual behavior, and were likewise given by depot injection. But benperidol does not affect testosterone and is therefore not a castration agent. Chemical castration was often seen as an easier alternative to life imprisonment or the death penalty because it allowed the release of the convicted.
Which state has the law that rapists are chemically castrated?
Louisiana that the execution of child rapists where the victim was not killed was ruled unconstitutional, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal signed Senate Bill 144, allowing Louisiana judges to sentence convicted rapists to chemical castration. Alabama passed such a law in 2019.
When did Moldova legalize chemical castration?
On March 6, 2012, Moldova legislated forcible chemical castration of child molesters; the law came into effect on July 1, 2012. On June 5, 2012, Estonia passed a law that allows voluntary chemical castration as a part of complex treatment for less serious sex offenders as an alternative of imprisonment.
Which states have chemical castration?
At least seven other states, including Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Oregon, Texas and Wisconsin, have experimented with chemical castration. In Iowa, as in California and Florida, offenders may be sentenced to chemical castration in all cases involving serious sex offenses.
What is chemical castration?
Chemical castration is used in the treatment of hormone-dependant cancers such as prostate cancer. It slows down the cancer growth and metastasis. The treatment can be beneficial in the prostate cancers that have spread or recurred after first-line treatment. Chemical castration can also be used to slow the progression of male breast cancer .
How often is a chemical castration procedure done?
Depending on the drug and the dose, it would be repeated once a month or once a year.
What are the side effects of chemical castration?
There are a few side effects related to chemical castration, which include: Reduced or absent sexual desire. Erectile dysfunction. Fatigue. Shrinkage of testicles and penis. Hot flashes. Tenderness in the breasts. Long term side effects include:
Can you castrate a male breast?
Chemical castration can also be used to slow the progression of male breast cancer . The patient needs to inform the doctor of any medicine they are taking, including the over-the-counter herbal medicines, while undergoing the treatment.
Is castration reversible?
As the treatment stops the change is reversible. Surgical castration, also known as orchiectomy, involves the removal of both the testicles. This procedure reduces the levels of testosterone in the blood ( 3). It is an outpatient procedure and once done cannot be reversed.
Why is chemical castration used?
Chemical castration is a procedure wherein medications are administered to suppress or reduce Testosterone levels. Unlike surgical castration, chemical castration is reversible as the gonads are not removed by a surgical incision. By undertaking this, the male loses the function of his testes, thereby resulting in loss of libido and infertility. When it is done among boys before they attain puberty, it interferes with maturity of their sexual function including the change in their voice and masculinity. It has widely been speculated that the famous pop singer Michael Jackson was chemically castrated by his father Joe in childhood to maintain his high-pitched voice. This was reaffirmed by Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray. Maybe this was inspired from the many castrati opera singers. Castrati were men who were castrated at the age of 8 to 9 years to keep their voice at a higher pitch. This practice was prevalent during the Baroque period in Italy until it was outlawed in 1870. ( 1 ✔)
How is castration done?
Castration is done through two different procedures: In surgical castration, the testes are surgically removed from both the sides. Thus, the effects of this type of castration are permanent. In medical or chemical castration, drugs are administered at regular intervals to reduce the levels of testosterone in the body, ...
Why was castration used in the 1920s?
In 1920’s castration was performed on gay men to stop their sexual impulses but was soon given up. As mentioned previously chemical castration is most commonly used for treatment for advanced prostate cancer, to keep the growth of cancer cells in check. Chemical castration has been rarely used in females too.
What is the drug used to castrate?
Drugs used to bring about chemical castration include: Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA): MPA is a long-acting injectable progesterone (a female hormone) that is used as a contraceptive in women. In men, it acts as an anti-androgen. The Depo Provera preparation has to be administered every 3 months. Cyproterone acetate: Cyproterone Acetate is an ...
How does chemical castration affect sexual activity?
Chemical castration reduces the ability of a person to get sexually stimulated and thereby reduces the chances of repeat sexual offences. It has been studied that in 97% cases a sex offender after release will go and commit the crime again whereas with chemical castration the offense rate is less than 3%.
What is the role of testosterone in castration?
Testosterone is the male hormone that is responsible for maintaining sexual drive, aggression and function of the testes in males. Drugs that reduce the levels or antagonize the actions of testosterone result in chemical or medical castration.
When was castration outlawed?
This practice was prevalent during the Baroque period in Italy until it was outlawed in 1870. ( 1 ✔) Chemical castration is most commonly used in the world for the treatment of most common cancer among men called the prostate cancer.
When was chemical castration first used in the UK?
How common is chemical castration in the UK? Chemical castration was originally introduced in the UK in 2007 by former Home Secretary John Reid and has had limited use since.
How much does castration cut re-offending?
It has been trialled in Sweden, Denmark and Canada with evidence from Scandinavia suggesting it can cut re-offending rates from 40 percent to 5 percent. It is unlike surgical castration, which involves the removal of genitals, and sterilisation in that treatment must be continuous. "Chemical castration is no longer effective after it is ...
Who told fellow prisoners that he could only be stopped if he was chemically castrated?
It raised fears other rapists and sex offenders - 1,000 of whom are on indeterminate sentences - could be released while they still pose a threat.. 4. John Worboys told fellow prisoners that he could only be stopped if he was chemically castrated.
How many paedophiles were castrated in 2015?
At the time, the Ministry of Justice announced the number of offenders referred for treatment more than doubled to 25.
How does castration work?
It is done through the administration of antiandrogen drugs, either in pill form or more commonly via injections.
Did the British use chemical castration?
But nowadays in the UK, the only common use of chemical castration in the treatment of hormone-dependent cancers, ...
Does castration help prostate cancer?
But nowadays in the UK, the only common use of chemical castration in the treatment of hormone-dependent cancers, such as some forms of prostate cancer, to combat the disease. Various human hormones can be eliminated by drugs (Picture: Getty)
Does castration cause gynecomastia?
There are side effects to chemical castration, only a few being life-threatening, and males can experience gynecomastia (mammary gland growth) in some cases, as Turing did. Both men and women experience reduced muscle and increased body fat mass as well as weakened bones. These can lead, in the long-term, to cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis.
Is birth control a form of castration?
And some may consider the birth control pill in women to be a form of chemical castration, seeing as the hormone changes it effects neutralises their sex drive. Famously, the brilliant mathematician Alan Turing was chemically castrated, in a 1952 deal with the British Government, after being found guilty of indecent homosexual acts.
Why is chemical castration a problem?
However, chemical castration under the current laws is vaguely positioned between punishment and treatment due to lack of informed consent by the recipient, and so remains a problematic issue for medical ethics.
When did California allow castration?
In 1996 , California became the first state in the United States to authorize the use of either chemical or surgical castration for certain sexual offenders who were being released from prison into the community.
What is the use of hormonal drugs to reduce sexual violence?
Using hormonal drugs to reduce sexual violence recidivism is known as chemical castration. The first reported attempt of hormonal manipulation to reduce pathological sexual behavior occurred in 1944, when diethylstilbestrol was prescribed to lower testosterone levels (1). Medroxyprogesterone acetate and cyproterone acetate have been used ...
When did castration start in Korea?
For the first time in Asia, in July 2011, Korea introduced using chemical castration on sexual offenders. Under the current law, perpetrators of sexual crimes against minors aged less than 16 yr are subject to chemical castration. There have been growing calls for tougher punishment against sexual offenders and stronger preventive measures in ...
Is chemical castration better than surgical castration?
Chemical castration has some advantages over surgical castration. First, although chemical castration is potentially life-long for some offenders, it might allow sexual offenders to have normal sexual activity in context with psychotherapy. Second, some sexual offenders may voluntarily receive chemical castration.
Overview
Chemical castration is castration via anaphrodisiac drugs, whether to reduce libido and sexual activity, to treat cancer, or otherwise. Unlike surgical castration, where the gonads are removed through an incision in the body, chemical castration does not remove organs, nor is it a form of sterilization. Chemical castration is generally considered reversible when treatment is discontinued, although permanent effects in body chemistry can sometimes be seen, as in the c…
Effects
When used on males, these drugs can reduce sex drive, sexual fantasies, and capacity for sexual arousal. Life-threatening side effects are rare, but some users show increases in body fat and reduced bone density, which increase long-term risk of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis, respectively. Males may also experience gynecomastia (development of larger-than-normal mammary glands in males); full development is less common unless chemical castration is com…
Treatment for sex offenders
The first use of chemical castration occurred in 1944, when diethylstilbestrol was used with the purpose of lowering men's testosterone. The antipsychotic agent benperidol was sometimes used to decrease sexual urges in people who displayed what was thought of as inappropriate sexual behavior, and as likewise given by depot injection, though benperidol does not affect testosterone and is therefore not a castration agent. Chemical castration was often seen as an easier alternat…
Chemical castration by country
In March 2010, Guillermo Fontana of CNN reported that officials in Mendoza, a province in Argentina, approved the use of voluntary chemical castration for rapists, in return for reduced sentences.
In 1966, John Money became the first American to employ chemical castration by prescribing medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA, the base ingredient now used in DMPA) as a treatment for a patient dealing with pedophilic urges. The drug has thereafter become a mainstay of chemical c…
Objections
The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida opposes the administration of any drug that is dangerous or has significant irreversible effect as an alternative to incarceration; however, they do not oppose the use of antiandrogen drugs for sex offenders under carefully controlled circumstances as an alternative to incarceration. Law professor John Stinneford has argued that chemical castration is a cruel and unusual punishment because it exerts control over the mind of …
Treatment of cancer
A major medical use of chemical castration is in the treatment of hormone-dependent cancers, such as some prostate cancer, where it has largely replaced the practice of surgical castration.
Chemical castration involves the administration of antiandrogen drugs, such as cyproterone acetate, flutamide, or gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists.
See also
• Leuprorelin
• Neutersol
• Nonsurgical neutering alternatives
• Triptorelin
Further reading
• Daley, Matthew V. (2008). "A Flawed Solution to the Sex Offender Situation in the United States: The Legality of Chemical Castration for Sex Offenders" (PDF). Indiana Health Law Review. 5 (1): 87–122. doi:10.18060/16522.
• Giordano, Kevin (1 March 2000). "The Chemical Knife". Health & Body. Salon. Archived from the original on 15 March 2002. Retrieved 6 February 2019.