Sex, Drugs, and How to Deal with Criticism: The Case of Flibanserin

Anke Bueter*, Saana Jukola

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterAcademicpeer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration made the controversial decision to approve flibanserin as the first drug against problems of low female sexual desire. This approval has encountered many criticisms; in particular, it has been condemned as an exemplary instance of medicalization and disease-mongering, as lacking sufficient evidential support, and as targeting a highly problematic diagnosis (Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder). In this paper, we review these complaints and show that many of the issues in the flibanserin case stem from a failure to properly deal with criticism. We argue that a principle of uptake of criticism can help preventing bias in research and drug regulation and can be secured by institutional measures.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationUncertainty in Pharmacology
Subtitle of host publicationEpistemology, Methods, and Decisions
EditorsAdam LaCaze, Barbara Osimani
PublisherSpringer
Pages451-470
Number of pages20
ISBN (Electronic)978-3-030-29179-2
ISBN (Print)978-3-030-29178-5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020
Externally publishedYes

Publication series

NameBoston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science
PublisherSpringer
Volume338
ISSN (Print)0068-0346
ISSN (Electronic)2214-7942

Keywords

  • n/a OA procedure

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