Where can I get Depo-testosterone?

The long answer

Depo-testosterone is only available on prescription, and it is injected into the buttocks under the supervision of a doctor every one to four weeks. It is made by Pfizer. 

Unfortunately, there have been widespread testosterone shortages in South Africa since 2015, and more so since the Covid pandemic. This has apparently also happened across the world, from Canada to Spain. 

Pfizer says that because of heavy demand for Covid vaccines, the production of some drugs, including testosterone, has been “temporarily impacted”, but that the company is “actively working to mitigate any supply interruptions.” Unfortunately, they did not give any date as to when these supply problems would be resolved.

As always, when there are supply interruptions of any drug, black marketeers pop up to sell the drug illegally at inflated prices, but people are strongly advised not to go down that road as it could have serious health consequences. People who have used black market testosterone have reported nausea, dizziness, exhaustion, increased anger and, most seriously, thromboembolism, which is when a blood vessel is blocked by a blood clot. 

You may want to consult one of the following organisations for advice:

In Cape Town there is Gender DynamiX:

Address: Unit 21, Collingwood Building

10 Anson Street

Observatory

Cape Town.

Tel: 021 447 4797

Email: info@genderdynamix.org.za

In Durban there is Same Love Toti:

Formerly known as PFLAG South Africa, Same Love Toti in Durban is committed to giving resources, counselling, and support to parents and young people of the LGBTQI+ community. Same Love Toti can provide advice about LGBT-friendly health service providers, psychologists and doctors, and focuses on providing a lending ear to those that need it with telephonic and email correspondence. 

Tel: 082 654 8635

Toll-free Advice Line on 0800 110 110

In Pretoria there is OUT LGBT Well-being:

OUT LGBT Well-being provides healthcare services to the LGBTQI+ community, men who have sex with men (MSM) and injecting drug users. Covering all the bases, OUT has been offering HIV testing, counselling, treatment, and general lifestyle advice and support to the LGBTQI+ community of Pretoria and surrounds for more than 24 years. They also engage their research, mainstreaming and advocacy work on a local, provincial, national, continental and international level. One of their key projects is the Love Not Hate campaign and legal clinic. 

Tel: 012 430 3272

Email: hello@out.org.za

Wishing you the best,
Athalie