HUMATROPE

Growth hormone therapyrefers to the use ofgrowth hormone(GH) as aprescription medication—it is one form ofhormone therapy. Growth hormone is apeptide hormonesecreted by thepituitarygland that stimulatesgrowthandcellreproduction. In the past, growth hormone was extracted from human pituitary glands. Growth hormone is now produced byrecombinant DNAtechnology and is prescribed for a variety of reasons. GH therapy has been a focus of social and ethical controversies for 50 years. This article describes the history of GH treatment and the current uses and risks arising from GH use. Other articles describeGH physiology, diseases of GH excess (acromegalyandpituitary gigantism),deficiency, the recent phenomenon ofHGH controversies,growth hormone in sports, andgrowth hormone for cows.