FirstMed Consulting Blog

There have been several articles this week published in newspapers and online forums about the so-called increase in Viagra sales in the financial district of London due to the recent economic downturn. The news reports that British people in their 20s and 30s are buying Viagra and Cialis to boost their performance in the bedroom which has taken a tumble due to the credit crunch stress. Moreover, bankers, lawyers and hedge-fund managers are having the pills delivered to them at work to keep the problem secret from partners.

I find this news very hard to believe for several reasons. Firstly just to clear up a quick technical point. People frequently have their post delivered to work. The reason, more often than not, isn’t to deceive their partner but for the simple reason that they won’t be anyone at a home address during the day and Viagra is a prescription treatment that needs to be signed for.

More importantly, I find it hard to believe that Viagra sales would peak in times of crisis. When it comes to Viagra sales, the stats from our database of 25,000 customers tell a different story. Here at Firstmed, we have found Viagra sales rise not in times of stress but in times of celebration. Holiday season, including Christmas, the summer and Valentines Day are our busiest times of year. Even when out of the norm sale spikes do occur, they are invariably due to joy. For example, during the World Cup 2006, the sale of impotence treatments were noticeable altered by the outcome of the final. French sales, which had been consist through the competition, dropped significantly following their defeat. On the flip side, the Italian’s more than doubled in the week following their victory.

While stress and anxiety can undoubtedly cause impotence, this doesn’t equate to a rise in Viagra sales. Most men are very reluctant to seek treatment, especially young men. If the source of these articles is to be believed, these men would have to confront (what is perceived to be) an embarrassing illness at an already stressful time and furthermore, take time out of their busy schedules to go to the GP in person prior to obtaining the treatment.