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Chemical castration is a form of temporary castration caused by certain hormonal drugs. It was developed as a temporary preventive measure or punishment, typically for male child sex offenders and rapists.
Depo Provera, a progestin, is the drug most commonly used today for sex offenders. It acts on the brain to inhibit hormones that stimulate the testicles to produce testosterone.
Chemical castration also occurs as a natural consequence of hormone treatment for male-to-female transsexualism; unlike its counterpart in sex offenders, the hormones most commonly used lead to permanent infertility.
Some parasitic trematodes chemically castrate their host; see microphallus.
Criticism
Though generally considered more humane than surgical castration, chemical castration has attracted a number of critics.
The American Civil Liberties Union opposes the coerced administration of any drug, including antiandrogen drugs for sex offenders. They argued in 1997 that forced chemical castration was a "cruel and unusual punishment," and thereby constitutionally prohibited by the Eighth Amendment. They also stated that it interfered with sex offenders' "right to procreate," and could expose users to various health problems.
Large doses are required to be effective in men. Most men will receive 400mg to 500mg per week, equal to 2.5 ml in each buttock. In some cases, men given oral doses as high as 700 mg/day have still reported regular sexual arousal and fantasies.
Side Effects
The use of Depo-Provera can cause several side effects including weight gain, fatigue, thromboembolism, malaise, hypertension, mild depression, hypoglycemia and rare changes in liver enzymes.
In addition to ethical concerns, chemical castration may increase blood pressure in males, sometimes to dangerous levels. Other side effects, such as the formation of abnormal fat deposits in the liver, are being investigated.
External links
"Chemical castration"