A team of scientists from Sweden is seeking volunteers with paedophilic disorder to test out a new form of chemical castration aimed at men who have not abused or targeted any children. The team from Karolinska Institute is hoping to conduct scientific trials in the UK to see if a drug called degarelix, usually used to treat prostate cancer, can be successfully used on men before they commit any offences against children.
The drug lowers the level of testosterone in males, which experts believe is key to the main factors in why men act on their paedophilic thoughts – high sexual arousal, disturbed self-regulation and low empathy – so scientists hope administrating the drug could help suppress these urges.
