Male impotence drug could be sold without a prescription by spring, in effort to close down lucrative black market

Britain is to become the first country where Viagra can be bought over the counter, the medicines regulator has announced.

The drug has been been credited with revolutionising treatment for male impotence and reducing stigma surrounding the condition since its commercial launch in 1998 but has become a popular target for criminals.

Announcing its decision on Tuesday, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), said it hopes the move will stop men seeking to buy it from unregulated websites.

While prescriptions of Viagra and other erectile dysfunction drugs containing sildenafil have tripled in Britain in a decade – there were 2,958,199 prescriptions in 2016, compared with 1,042,431 in 2006 – there is still a large black market. Last year, £17m worth of unlicensed and counterfeit Viagra was seized.

The manufacturer, Pfizer, said it hopes that Viagra Connect will go on sale over the counter in pharmacies in spring next year. It will be available in a four-tablet pack and eight-tablet pack, with recommended retail prices of £19.99 and £34.99 respectively.



Mick Foy, the MHRA’s group manager in vigilance and risk management of medicines, said: “Erectile dysfunction can be a debilitating condition, so it’s important men feel they have fast access to quality and legitimate care, and do not feel they need to turn to counterfeit online supplies which could have potentially serious side-effects.”

The MHRA said the decision was made after a safety assessment, advice from the Commission on Human Medicines, and positive responses to a public consultation earlier this year. Its investigators have have seized more than £50m of unlicensed and counterfeit medicines for impotence over the past five years.



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Since its commercial release in 1998, the famous blue pill, which was a failed treatment for angina, has been used to improve the sex lives of millions of men worldwide. It has opened up conversation about male impotence, although some say it has become a lifestyle drug. Pfizer’s patent ended in 2013 but it has earned the pharmaceutical giant more than £1bn a year.

The company’s UK medical director, Dr Berkeley Phillips, said: “We understand some men may avoid seeking support and treatment for this condition, so we believe giving them the option to talk to a pharmacist and buy Viagra Connect could be a real step forward in encouraging more men into the healthcare system.

“As erectile dysfunction may be a sign of an underlying condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease, there could also be a wider benefit to public health in the long term. We hope that this forthcoming new opportunity to purchase a genuine treatment via pharmacy will also reduce the likelihood of men turning to potentially ineffective and dangerous counterfeits from illicit sources.”

Men wishing to buy it will be required to consult the pharmacist, who will determine whether it is appropriate for the patient, outline possible side-effects and suggest a consultation with a GP if deemed necessary.

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Viagra Connect will not be sold to men with severe cardiovascular disorders or at high cardiovascular risk, or to patients with liver failure or taking certain interacting medicines. In such cases they will still have to see their GP. Pfizer also recommends that pharmacists should advise all men to follow up with their doctor within six months of first being supplied the product.

Dr David Edwards, a GP with a special interest in sexual dysfunction and a past president of the British Society of Sexual Medicine, said: “In my clinical experience a man’s ability to attain and maintain an erection is of paramount importance to him.

“When erection difficulties do occur, emotional and physical closeness between a man and his partner can diminish, leaving a man with a sense of isolation and lacking confidence in day-to-day life. A new initiative that enables men to go to a pharmacy to get help for their erectile dysfunction is welcome.”