Will Dr. Chen prescribe human growth hormone (HGH) for me?
A. HGH injections are currently very controversial, although the American Academy of Anti-Aging Physicians are proponents of this therapy. There has been much publicity over the past year regarding its illegal use by the anti-aging industry. The FDA is currently investigating into the illegal distribution and/or prescription of HGH, mostly for anti-aging and bodybuilding claims. It is extremely costly ($10-20 thousand per year) and is usually not covered by insurance. It is only legal to prescribe this hormone to patients with documented deficiency within the United States, per FDA regulations. Dr. Chen recommends patients study Dr. Jay Olshansky’s, PhD, article: “New Developments in the Illegal Provision of Growth Hormone for ‘Anti-Aging’ and Bodybuilding” in JAMA, vol. 299, no. 23, June 18, 2008, for an updated synopsis of this topic. Partial viewing of the article is available at the JAMA website. While Dr. Chen continues to educate herself regarding the use of HGH, she currently do
