Is Generic Viagra Safe and Effective?
The short answer is: it may be effective, but most experts would agree that it is not safe since none of it is medically approved (yet).
The FDA, Pfizer, and many doctors and professionals frequently warn patients and consumers against fake medications sold online, including the many generic versions of Viagra offered in a large number of “online pharmacy” sites.
So, why all the warnings about generic Viagra traded over the Internet? The following are the main reasons why generic Viagra is generally considered bad.
Legitimacy: Viagra is a registered trademark of Pfizer Inc, and so no other company is authorized to make a product (drug) and name it Viagra unless they have Pfizer’s permission to do so. Also, sildenafil citrate (the active ingredient of Viagra) is patented worldwide by Pfizer, and so no other drug maker can manufacture sildenafil citrate (generic Viagra) in any form until Pfizer’s patents on this drug expire (in 2011–2013). Simply put, any form of generic Viagra that is currently being manufactured and sold (mostly on the Internet) is illegal.
Effectiveness: There are some pharmaceutical companies that (illegally) make generic Viagra that is identical to, and acts as effective as, the genuine drug. However, studies have shown that a lot of the generic Viagra pills sold over the Internet contain no effective ingredients, i.e. pure scams.
Safety: Since generic Viagra is manufactured unlawfully, it is usually made in unlicensed factories and under unhealthy conditions where standards and regulations are absent. In fact, many investigations proved that generic Viagra promoted online often contains unknown/dangerous ingredients, non-approved substances, and harmful (or even fatal) overdoses.
What applies to Viagra also applies to Cialis (generic: tadalafil) and Levitra (generic: vardenafil).
Cialis maker, Eli Lilly, currently holds the patent for this drug, and until the patent expires (in 2016) all generic versions of Cialis made by other drug companies are not legitimate. Levitra’s manufacturer, Bayer, also has worldwide patents on this ED drug, first of which expire in 2018.
The video displayed below is made by the FDA to educate patients about faux drugs on the Internet and help them avoid such scams.
Can Tamiflu Beat Viagra at Spam?
Today I stumbled upon a CNN news article (published in July 2009), which reports that the famous anti-flu drug Tamiflu has recently become a huge target of many spammers to the point that it “out-spam” Viagra.
Spammers have been sending tons of junk emails pushing fake Tamiflu since swine flu was declared a global pandemic last June. The report adds that most sites that used to sell fake Viagra started to offer Tamiflu besides/instead of it, hoping to make a fortune out of this highly on-demand flu treatment, especially with the beginning of flu season (autumn) and the fast worldwide spread of swine flu.
Anyway, I say no way any other product could out-spam Viagra. There might be other products that get occasional spammer focus, but Viagra stays the all-time spammer favorite. Tamiflu spam might have gotten a boost due to the swine flu pandemic, but as soon as the H1N1 vaccine doses become available for the public (this October) and everyone is protected against this deadly virus, Tamiflu demand will decrease and get back to normal and most spammers will lose interest in it. But men will never stop asking for bigger erections and thus Viagra spam will never fade away.
So, why is there so much Viagra spam? And why do most spammers target Viagra?
The reason for that is the “online popularity” of Viagra.
Viagra is very popular on the Internet. That’s because it is considered an “embarrassment drug”, i.e. most patients would feel uncomfortable or embarrassed to ask a doctor for a Viagra prescription. And since most men would be reluctant to discuss their sexual problems with someone else, even their doctor, they try to find a more discreet way to obtain this medication and so they go online to purchase it privately.
On the other hand, almost no one would be embarrassment to ask their doctor or pharmacist for Tamiflu.
Just for comparison, according to Google’s keyword research tool, the search term “buy Viagra” has received about 1,000,000 searches during the month of August alone, while the term “buy Tamiflu” has only received about 14,800 searches during the same period of time. This suggests that Tamiflu’s online sales are not even close to Viagra’s. Even the closest Viagra rival, Cialis, only got about 450,000 searches for the term “buy Cialis” during the month of August.
By far, no other drug has been bigger or better-selling than Viagra on the Internet. Also, the controversy about Viagra has long made this product part of people’s culture. And that’s why most spammers choose to promote Viagra.
Pfizer’s Viagra Price Doubled Since 1998
From Viagra’s approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1998 and until present time, Viagra price has almost doubled.
The following table shows how Viagra price has gradually risen during the past decade (numbers are approximate – data obtained from BNET):
| Year | Price in USD (Per Pill) |
| 2009 | $13.88 |
| 2008 | $12.50 |
| 2007 | $10.50 |
| 2006 | $9.55 |
| 2005 | $8.93 |
| 2004 | $8.51 |
| 2003 | $8.10 |
| 2002 | $7.67 |
| 2001 | $7.45 |
| 2000 | $7.22 |
| 1999 | $7.00 |
These remarkable and continuing raises in Viagra’s price by its maker, Pfizer, can be attributed to some different reasons explained below.
The first and foremost cause of Viagra’s increased price is the loads of money that Pfizer has to spend on the promotion of this medication. Pfizer has spent millions of dollars all over the globe in order to keep their precious brand “Viagra” above all other competitor brands, especially Eli Lilly’s Cialis and Bayer’s Levitra.
Another factor that makes Pfizer increase the price of their drug is the “legal price” of maintaining this huge and controversial brand. Pfizer has faced countless lawsuits, and a considerable number of those lawsuits were regarding Viagra. Pfizer had to pay billions of dollars in legal fees and settlements over the years. By the way, just recently Pfizer has been sued and agreed to pay a record $1.2B criminal fine for fraudulent, off-label marketing of some of their drugs, including Viagra.
So, in order to afford maintaining the popularity of Viagra, Pfizer has to keep raising its price to cover their increasing costs, and still turn out with “decent” profits.
Viagra Cream Will Soon Compete With ED Pills
The revolutionary ED drugs; Viagra, Cialis and Levitra could soon be available in a safer and quick-acting form as rub-on cream.
Recent researches and lab tests showed that some drugs (including PDE5 inhibitors like Viagra, Cialis and Levitra) can be administered topically through the skin and supplied directly to the affected area.
In the case of ED medications, the cream would be applied directly to the genitals, which should lessen the side effects and risks of the drug and improve its effectiveness since its effect would be mainly restricted to the targeted part of the body, instead of being circulated throughout the whole body.
Currently, clinical tests are only being conducted on animals (specifically the poor rats!), but human tests and studies could start soon if animal tests continued to prove the safety and success of this method.
But don’t expect to see such products in the market soon, because experts say that at least 10 years could be required to get this medication approved and available for public consumption.
The Science Daily has a news article with more details about this new nanoparticle-based Viagra lotion.
Vizarsin is the Upcoming Viagra Competitor
The famous Slovenian drug maker, Krka is set to launch a new major rival to Pfizer’s Viagra called “Vizarsin”.
Vizarsin is a generic form of Viagra that contains the same active ingredient, namely sildenafil citrate, and has the same effective results in treating erectile dysfunction.
This new generic Viagra will be available in three doses: 25mg, 50mg and 100mg. The pills will be white rather than blue (Viagra’s original color). And most importantly, this generic equivalent will be about 30% cheaper than the brand name Viagra.
The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has approved and recommended this new medication.
Krka is now selling Vizarsin in Slovenia, but as soon as Pfizer’s patents on Viagra expire (mostly in 2012), Krka shall be granted authorization to start marketing Vizarsin in the European Union and other parts of the world.
There have been many attempts by numerous competitors to make and market generic versions of Viagra (sildenafil citrate) since the drug’s approval in 1998, but none of them succeeded as Pfizer always had the power of law (patent protection) to shut them down. The only FDA approved and real rivals of Viagra so far are: Cialis (tadalafil) and Levitra (vardenafil).
Viagra vs. Natural Aphrodisiacs: Advantages and Disadvantages
You probably have heard about certain foods and drinks having Viagra like effects on men. The fact is, there is a bunch of foods that do really help boost male sexual health and ability and work as natural aphrodisiacs.
Not a long time ago, huge discussions hit the news about Watermelon’s Viagra-like effect, which is backed by professional researches, studies and clinical tests.
Fruits and vegetables in general are good for sexual health since they are rich in vitamins and other nutrients that help your body stay fresh and healthy, which results in better sexual health and performance. Also red meat, white meat, fish and oysters are rich in nutrients (e.g. zinc and different amino acids) that prevent erectile dysfunction (impotence).
So, a healthy, balanced and properly planned diet can definitely help patients with sexual dysfunction problems, like ED, but is this method better than Viagra?
Each has its advantages and shortcomings as explained below. Read more
Eli Lilly to Reduce Jobs by 14%
By the end of 2011, the giant drug maker Eli Lilly is set to cut down its work force by 14%, which means that nearly 5,500 of Lilly’s employees will lose their jobs.
Lilly’s objective from this move is to cut their annual costs by $1 billion, as many of their best sellers will lose patent protection in a couple of years.
The company will also restructure itself into five units: cancer, diabetes, emerging markets, established markets, and Elanco (Lilly’s animal health business).
They also plan to get quick approval for new medications and bring them into the U.S. and global market.
Read more about Eli Lilly plans at NY Times.
Pfizer Sued Over Off-Label Marketing of Viagra
The U.S. Justice Department held Pfizer accountable for fraudulent promotions and off-label marketing of some of its top selling drugs, including Viagra (sildenafil citrate), Lipitor (atorvastatin), and others.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has filed a lawsuit against the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc in the past charging them for deceitful and irresponsible promotions of their erectile dysfunction drug “Viagra”, which, according to AHF, has helped increase the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV/AIDS. AHF welcomed the ruling and praised the U.S. Justice Department for it.
It was also reported that Pfizer agreed to pay a $1.2 billion (largest ever) criminal fine. But will Pfizer learn the lesson this time, or their big profits are totally worth a few-billion fines from time to time?
Read the full news article at Reuters.com.