Record ED Prescriptions in the U.S. Military Spotlight Policy Contradictions

Data released by the Defense Health Agency show that 108,332 prescriptions for erectile dysfunction (ED) medication were dispensed to active-duty service members in 2025. This figure surpasses the previous record of 108,323 set in 2024 and represents a 16.5 % increase over the 92,996 prescriptions recorded in 2021 under the Biden administration. When veterans, dependents, and other members of the broader military community are included, total sex-enhancing prescriptions rise to 639,355 for 2025, up from 627,121 in 2024.

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In February 2025, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced a rule that bars gender-affirming medical care for transgender service members and prohibits enlistment of individuals with a documented history of gender dysphoria. The directive is the most restrictive anti-trans policy applied to the U.S. armed forces to date. The rule operates alongside a longstanding prohibition on coverage for gender-affirming care for veterans.

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• Active-duty ED prescriptions, 2025: 108,332

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• Active-duty ED prescriptions, 2024: 108,323

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• Active-duty ED prescriptions, 2021: 92,996 (16.5 % lower)

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• Total sex-enhancing prescriptions (including veterans and dependents), 2025: 639,355

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• Total sex-enhancing prescriptions, 2024: 627,121

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The Defense Health Agency released the data after a Freedom of Information Act request; the Pentagon offered no comment on a link between the prescription rise and the gender-affirming care ban. The National Center for LGBTQ Rights (NCLR), joined by GLAD Law, filed *Doe v. Department of Defense*, alleging the rule unlawfully ends gender-affirming care for transgender service members and families who had accessed such services for over a decade.

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LGBTQ+ advocates contend that prescribing ED medication to cisgender men functions as gender-affirming care, highlighting a perceived double standard. Critics label the rule “lawless” and argue it exemplifies administrative overreach that ignores legal obligations to service members.

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*Doe v. Department of Defense* proceeds in the U.S. District Court for Maryland, while *Talbott v. United States* and *Shilling v. United States* contest the broader transgender enlistment ban. Public data do not explain the prescription surge or provide gender- or service-branch breakdowns, creating a gap in assessing the policy’s health impact.

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All three lawsuits remain active, with court rulings expected later in 2025 or early 2026. The outcomes may determine whether the gender-affirming care ban is upheld, modified, or struck down, and could influence future military health-care policies.

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• “U.S. soldiers having more sex than ever under President Trump,” — *New York Post* headline

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• “President Trump has illegally overstepped his authority by abruptly cutting off necessary medical care for military families,” — Shannon Minter, Legal Director, National Center for LGBTQ Rights

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