Table 4.

The Gaps in Our Knowledge and the Recommendations of the Panel

Gaps in Our Knowledge: Unmet Need	Recommendation
There is a lack of prospective, systematically gathered data on the long-term adverse health effects of PED use.	Establish prospective observational cohort studies (registries) to determine the long-term health effects of PED use.
There is a lack of reliable and current epidemiological data on the frequency of PED use among the general population.	Establish epidemiologic surveys to determine the prevalence of PED use in the general population.
The mechanisms by which PEDs exert their adverse health effects remain poorly understood.	Perform human and animal studies to determine the mechanisms by which PEDs exert their adverse effects on the health of users.
There are no randomized trials of therapies to treat or prevent the complications of PED use, especially strategies to treat AAS withdrawal syndrome, which is an important contributor to AAS dependence and continued use.	Conduct randomized trials of various therapeutic strategies (such as estrogen receptor antagonists, aromatase inhibitors, or opiate antagonists) to treat AAS withdrawal syndrome and to treat the complications of PED use.