After female ultrasound bill, State Sen. Farnese wants 'invasive tests' for men as well

State Sen. Larry Farnese wants to ensure that government-mandated physical exams are an equal opportunity invader of privacy.

Farnese (D., Phila.) says he plans to introduce a bill next week requiring men combating erectile dysfunction (ED) to undergo similar tests.

That's in response to the widely criticized House Bill 1077 - supported by Gov. Corbett but now stalled after opposition by medical organizations - that would require invasive pre-abortion ultrasounds for women.

Farnese called the female ultrasound bill "unnecessary and humiliating."

"No woman should be forced to undergo a transvaginal ultrasound if they don't want or need the test. But for some reason, the Republicans in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives think that their degrading legislation is the right thing for female patients who are rightfully accessing their protected health services," said Farnese.

"I'm submitting legislation that will require men to undergo a few similarly invasive tests in order to show that this effort is ridiculous and that we should be protecting and expanding, not watering down, health services for women."

Farnese's legislation would require male patients to:

The bill also would require physicians to provide the patient with written proof that he will benefit from using the medication and that there are no other potential medical or psychological causes of his impotence.