Male Reproductive Health Facing Global Health Crisis

MINNEAPOLIS, MN- March 21, 2019-  On average, men have a shorter life expectancy compared to women, and live with more diseases and illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Contributing factors include reluctance of men to seek health care advice and treatment as well as, in general, unhealthy lifestyle factors. Experts from all over the world are now joining together to address how to change that.

Christopher De Jonge, Ph.D., HCLD, Director of the Andrology Program at the University of Minnesota Medical Center and adjunct professor in the Medical School, will join scientists, physicians and experts to tackle the key issues important to a healthy man, which are often under-addressed.

“The Crisis in Male Reproductive Health (MRHI): The Need for a Political, Social, and Research Roadmap” workshop will be held in Chicago, Illinois on April 6th, 2019 and is supported by the American Society of Andrology.

Male reproductive health is in crisis and critically worsening throughout the world. There is clinical evidence of this through significant declining sperm counts, increases in testicular cancer, and urogenital malignancies.

“It is clear we are in the midst of a global crisis in male reproductive health. Events like this are needed to bring together global leaders in this field, to discuss not only the problem, but the potential solutions,” said De Jonge, who is the co-convenor of the workshop, “I am honored to be a part of this workshop and look forward to what we can accomplish.”

The disparity in life expectancy between male and female has tremendous impact not only for families and individuals, but also on the economy. In the US, many hundreds of billions of dollars are spent by federal, non-federal and employer-supported health plans to support male chronic disease and death. Many of these issues could easily be resolved with preventative care.

“From the standpoint of the rapidly expanding infertility industry, the woman is increasingly bearing the burden of therapeutic treatment even when diagnosis reveals male factor or unknown cause for infertility. These treatments, i.e., IVF, are not without risk. It is essential to remove that burden through research that leads to more effective diagnostic and therapeutic approaches,” said De Jonge, “One goal of the MRHI is to lobby funding agencies to increase monies for male reproduction research.”

Workshop participants in attendance include key opinion leaders in research, medicine, funding and policy agencies, and patient support groups. Experts from around the globe will also participate via video conferencing.

About the University of Minnesota Medical School
The University of Minnesota Medical School is at the forefront of learning and discovery, transforming medical care and educating the next generation of physicians. Our graduates and faculty produce high-impact biomedical research and advance the practice of medicine. Visit med.umn.edu to learn how the University of Minnesota is innovating all aspects of medicine.

Contact: Krystle Barbour
kbarbour@umn.edu
612-626-2767