"Men’s Health Gets The Silicon Valley Treatment" - Sara Ashley O’Brien
Erectile dysfunction and hair loss are not topics men typically feel comfortable discussing. But entrepreneurs see them as business opportunities and hope to eliminate the stigma associated with the conditions along the way. Zachariah Reitano, a 26-year-old entrepreneur created a business, called Roman, to help men discretely seek treatment. The startup connects them with doctors online who diagnose ailments and write prescriptions, and Roman sends medications to their doorsteps. Reitano knows firsthand the challenges of having a health issue tied to how many view masculinity. Doron Stember, MD, assistant professor of urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai said that patients often don’t seek treatment for years due to the stigma. Erectile dysfunction affects as many as 30 million American men, but experts and researchers report only about 25 percent seek treatment. “Many patients don’t seek care because they’re embarrassed or don’t know where to go,” Dr. Stember added, “Some patients have been told it’s a problem in their head so they suffer but don’t follow up for years.” He said that telehealth can increase access to excellent sexual health care for men who have emotional or geographic barriers keeping them out of the office.
- Doron S. Stember, MD, Assistant Professor, Urology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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