Thousands of sex offenders in England and Wales could get libido-suppressing drugs
Exclusive: Voluntary use of sex drive-suppressing medication to expand to 20 prisons and expert says it could be rolled out widely by late 2028
TL;DR
- Libido-suppressing drugs may be offered to approximately 3,750 male prisoners in England and Wales by December 2028.
- A pilot program, MMPSA, will expand from 10 to 20 prisons in November, targeting offenders with problematic sexual arousal.
- Medications include SSRIs like sertraline and anti-androgens to reduce testosterone and libido.
- The rollout is voluntary, requiring clinical support and consistent medication intake.
- Concerns exist regarding the efficiency and potential abuse of mandatory treatments, and long-term health effects like osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.
- Reoffending rates for sex offenders are lower compared to other criminal cohorts.