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Hegseth’s dubious low-T screening may flag up to 25 percent of the Army

First reported Thu, 15 Oct 2026 21:09:57 GMT · Last updated

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Hegseth’s dubious low-T screening may flag up to 25 percent of the Army
Ars Technica · published 2026-10-15 21:09 UTC
Hegseth’s dubious low-T screening may flag up to 25 percent of the Army
Lead image via Ars Technica

Up to a quarter of active-duty Army members could receive a low testosterone result from mandatory military screening, despite the true prevalence of the condition likely being a tiny fraction of that figure, according to a study published Thursday in JAMA . The finding adds to concerns that the mandatory screening announced by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in July will lead to a cascade of unnecessary medical evaluations for military members. Those evaluations could result in inappropriate testing, inaccurate results and diagnoses, and overtreatment that could cause harm, including infertility. Medical experts, including the Endocrine Society and the American Urological Association (AUA), have recommended against blanket screenings for these reasons. Still, the Pentagon has moved forward with the plans, releasing clinical guidance in September . The JAMA study highlights the reasons why testosterone levels are not measured in men without symptoms—and also offers a glimpse of how many Army members could become ensnared in the clinically dubious screenings. Read full article Comments ]]>

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  • Ars Technica
    Hegseth’s dubious low-T screening may flag up to 25 percent of the Army

    Up to a quarter of active-duty Army members could receive a low testosterone result from mandatory military screening, despite the true prevalence of the condition likely being a tiny fraction of that figure, according to a study published Thursday in JAMA . The finding adds to concerns that the mandatory screening announced by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in July will lead to a cascade of unnecessary medical evaluations for military members. Those evaluations could result in inappropriate testing, inaccurate results and diagnoses, and overtreatment that could cause harm, including infertility. Medical experts, including the Endocrine Society and the American Urological Association (AUA), have recommended against blanket screenings for these reasons. Still, the Pentagon has moved forward with the plans, releasing clinical guidance in September . The JAMA study highlights the reasons why testosterone levels are not measured in men without symptoms—and also offers a glimpse of how many Army members could become ensnared in the clinically dubious screenings. Read full article Comments ]]>

    Thu, 15 Oct 2026 21:09:57 GMT

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  1. 2026-10-15 21:09Ars Technica — Hegseth’s dubious low-T screening may flag up to 25 percent of the Army

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