FirstMed Consulting Blog

There has been a lot of press recently about whether or not Viagra should be available over the counter.

Pfizer confirmed that it routinely evaluates Viagra for a number of options including new indications and selling it without a prescription. Viagra’s sales have declined since 2004 because of competition from similar drugs Cialis made by Eli Lilly & Co. and Bayer AG and Schering-Plough Corp.’s Levitra. Viagra’s patent is set to expire in 2012 which will result in a flood of generics. Becoming the first over the counter treatment for erectile dysfunction would resestablish Pfizers dominance in the field.

However, analysts said it doesn’t make sense for Pfizer to purse that strategy because the chances of regulators approving the drug as an over-the-counter medicine are practically nil. Regulators would have to determine that patients could self-diagnose the condition and that the product was safe for use without a doctor’s supervision. A major reason for the unlikehood that it would be approved is that men who take drugs that contain nitrates, such as nitroglycerin for chest pain, should not take Viagra because serious complications can occur. A warning notice about that is included on Viagra’s label, but doctors also tell patients about the risks.Viagra also has other risks such as sudden vision loss and the potential of causing a painful prolonged erection , a condition known as Priaprism.

Over the counter Viagra also might mean other linked diseases would be missed with no health check ups. Often, men with erectile dysfunction have underlying health problems such as diabetes, which can be spotted by their GP at the time they come for an anti-impotence prescription.
There would be benefits too, such as combating the problem of Viagra sold illegally on the internet from unknown sources, which may be fake and if taken with some medicines could be fatal. Perhaps it would be safe to buy over-the-counter provided the pharmacist did the necessary checks to ensure the medication was suitable for the patient.
It might also be a more attractive option to men as going to see the GP about sexual problems can be embarrassing.