Boehringer Ingelheim Committed to Advancing the Science of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

Ridgefield, CT, May 7, 2008 — Data announced at this week’s American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) annual clinical meeting suggest that up to one in ten women are living with a condition called Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD), with only a third of these seeking advice or help from their healthcare professional. HSDD is a prevalent yet under-diagnosed medical condition that can have a serious effect on women’s lives, causing significant psychological distress and negatively impacting their relationships with their partners.

HSDD is a type of female sexual dysfunction, defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) as diminished feelings of sexual interest or desire, absent sexual thoughts or fantasies and lack of responsive desire that causes marked distress or interpersonal difficulties and is not caused by a medical condition or drug.

An open dialogue is essential when addressing sexual difficulties. Yesterday, investigators presented data on the Decreased Sexual Desire Screener.

“This new diagnostic tool helps clinicians accurately diagnose HSDD,” said Evan Goldfischer, M.D., lead investigator of the study and research director, Hudson Valley Urology, Poughkeepsie, NY. “We hope that this will help to open up a dialogue between physicians and patients on a topic that can be uncomfortable to discuss.”

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., based in Ridgefield, CT, is the largest U.S. subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation (Ridgefield, CT) and a member of the Boehringer Ingelheim group of companies.

The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world’s 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally with 135 affiliates in 47 countries and approximately 39,800 employees. Since it was founded in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing novel products of high therapeutic value for human and veterinary medicine.

In 2007, Boehringer Ingelheim posted net sales of US $15.0 billion (10.9 billion euro) while spending approximately one-fifth of net sales in its largest business segment, Prescription Medicines, on research and development.

For more information, please visit http://us.boehringer-ingelheim.com.

Contacts

Lara Crissey
Communications & Public Relations
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Phone: (203) 798-4740