The first administrative appeal hearing on whether Female Orgasmic Disorder (FOD) should be recognised as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis is taking place in the US state of Oregon this week.
From 3 to 5 February, state officials will hear testimony from clinicians, researchers, and patients regarding the potential role of cannabinoid medicine in treating Female Orgasmic Disorder/Difficulty (FOD).
FOD, a condition associated with persistent difficulty or inability to reach orgasm despite adequate desire and stimulation, is thought to affect an estimated 41% of women, yet has no FDA-approved therapies.
Experts say the women’s health condition has been historically under-researched and under-treated. While multiple pharmaceutical options exist for male sexual function, no approved medications specifically address orgasmic difficulty in women, leaving many women without effective treatment or accessible care.
Presenting the evidence
The three-day hearing is part of a formal administrative appeal requesting reconsideration of an earlier agency decision, bringing the issue back before the Oregon Health Authority for further expert review.
The petition was filed by Oregon resident Rebecca Andersson, who herself benefited from therapeutic cannabis in treating FOD, following a radical hysterectomy, and is represented by Portland attorney Alex Tinker of Tinker Torp LLP.
Twelve expert witnesses — including physicians, sexual health specialists, neuroscientists, and cannabinoid medicine clinicians — will testify, presenting scientific, clinical, and patient-reported evidence of the safety and effectiveness of cannabinoid therapies in improving orgasmic function in women with FOD.
They will present scientific, clinical, and patient-reported evidence of the safety and effectiveness of cannabinoid therapies in improving orgasmic function in women with FOD.
A previous observational study found that cannabis may be beneficial for the treatment of FOD, with the majority of women surveyed saying they found cannabis use before partnered sex increased orgasm frequency (72.8%) improve orgasm satisfaction (67%), or made reaching orgasm easier (71%).
In a follow-up paper published last year, researchers reviewed findings from 16 peer-reviewed studies, including data from over 8,000 women, making a formal recommendation that FOD be recognised as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis on prescription.
A ‘defining moment’ for women’s medicine?
If approved, Oregon would become the third state in the nation, following Connecticut and Illinois, to explicitly recognise FOD within its medical cannabis program, potentially expanding legal, regulated access to treatment and setting a precedent for evidence-based women’s health policy nationwide.
Gabriella Bova, the petitioner for the state of Illinois, gave testimony on the first day of the Oregon hearing, telling the judge her story of how cannabis helped her with her FOD. She ended with the statement: “We are real patients.”
However, several other states have reached different conclusions, underscoring the urgent need for a clear legal and medical standard—something the Oregon appeal hearing is now positioned to establish.
The final decision is not expected for several months, but advocates say it could mark an important step toward closing longstanding gender gaps in medical research, treatment access, and sexual health equity.
“This is a defining moment for women’s medicine,” said Dr Suzanne Mulvehill, Clinical Sexologist and Executive Director of the Female Orgasm Research Institute and Women’s Cannabis Project.
“It is the moment when overlooked medicine is finally brought into recognition.”
