Viagra Gets Some Blame for the Increase of STDs
We know for a fact that erectile dysfunction medications like Viagra, Cialis and Levitra can and do help millions of men overcome impotence and increase their stamina. We also know that these drugs have some unpleasant side effects, which include headache, dizziness, upset stomach, stuffy/runny nose, and others. But, did you know that the use of Viagra and similar drugs can contribute to the increase of STDs (sexually transmitted diseases)?
An interesting analysis published by the Annals of Internal Medicine found that men who use impotence treatments have higher rates of STDs, especially HIV infection. The study also stated that old men (over 40) are more likely to use ED medications and more likely to engage in unsafe sex practices, and that results in higher numbers of STDs in senior men.
Pfizer (the maker of Viagra), other ED drug manufacturers, doctors, and health care experts always emphasize that ED treatments do not treat or prevent STDs. ED patients who visit their doctor to get medical consultation or prescription are advised to discuss safe sex practices and protection against STDs with their doctor before starting to use the drugs.
Pfizer to Launch an Over-The-Counter Version of Viagra
Viagra developer and manufacturer, Pfizer Inc, is planning on launching a new, non-prescription version of its blockbuster anti-impotence drug, Viagra (sildenafil citrate). The new medicine, which does not have a name yet, is expected to be available in 2011. This new product comes just in the perfect time, since Pfizer’s U.S. patent on Viagra expires in 2012, after which the “much cheaper” generic versions of Viagra are expected to take over.
The new product contains revised ingredients (some of which are also found in Viagra) that make it safe and available for use without a prescription, i.e. anyone will be able to buy it over the counter without seeing a doctor.
Pfizer has always been trying to make their in-demand ED drug as easily obtainable as possible, even if it was at the expense of the patient’s health. In fact, Pfizer has already sought to make Viagra available over the counter in Europe in 2007. However, they withdrew the application after the European Medicines Agency objected to the bid due to the potential health risks of Viagra, and to prevent increased misuse of this medication.
So, will this new ED treatment replace Viagra? Well, it will all come down to results. Even though OTC drugs are generally less effective than prescription-only ones, Pfizer may be cooking some “big” surprises in this new product. We will be following and posting updates on this story.
Cialis History and Future (Quick Overview)
Cialis (tadalafil) was introduced in 2003 as a prescription-only treatment for erectile dysfunction and quickly became the second most popular ED drug after Viagra.
Cialis gained a lot of popularity due to its 36-hour-lasting effect, which gave it a considerable edge over the 4-hour-lasting little blue pill (Viagra). This is also why Cialis is often referred to as the Weekend Pill.
In 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Once-a-day Cialis (2.5mg and 5mg tablets). This innovative treatment gives patients an almost permanent remedy for ED as long as they keep taking the daily dose as directed by their doctor. When no dose is missed, the drug stays active in the user’s system almost 24/7, which allows him to enjoy sexual activity with full “functionality” anytime of the day without worrying about dose timing.
Cialis has become the closest rival to Viagra, and it even outsells Viagra in many European countries where Lilly ICOS LLC (the manufacturer and marketer of Cialis) widely markets this medication. In terms of performance, many experts would agree that Cialis outranks Viagra. However, the early introduction of Viagra (in 1998) and the huge controversy it has created worldwide made it very difficult for other competitor drugs to defeat Viagra at sale numbers, even if they work better or quicker.
Many health professionals vouch for Cialis and expect it to overthrow the long-established brand in the ED treatment industry, Viagra, in the near future. An interesting turning point for the impotence treatment market shall be in 2012-2013, when Pfizer’s worldwide patents on Viagra expire, at which point Pfizer should stop marketing Viagra as extensively as they have been doing for more than a decade. By that time, Lilly will still have more than 4 years until their patent on Cialis expires, and this could be a golden opportunity for Cialis to easily claim the #1 spot for the best anti impotence drug.
How to Get Free Viagra, Cialis and Levitra Samples?
Do you have erectile dysfunction (ED)? Do you want to try one, or more, of the top three ED medications (Viagra, Cialis and Levitra) for free? Well, keep reading to find out how you can get free trial vouchers for these ED treatments.
Viagra Vouchers
The best place where you can get free Viagra is at your doctor’s office. Pfizer gives away vouchers and sample packs to doctors who can offer these to patients diagnosed with ED. So, if your doctor prescribed you Viagra, ask him/her for a free trial pack. If it is your first prescription for Viagra, then they’ll most probably give you a few tablets (with the prescribed dose) to try it for free.
Cialis Promise Program
Eli Lilly has a special Cialis Promise Program that provides free trial vouchers for Cialis. You can get and print the voucher from the official website of Cialis (see the preceding link). In order to redeem it, you will need to take it together with your doctor’s prescription to your pharmacy, and based on your doctor’s prescription, you will either get free 3 pills of 36-hour Cialis (dose: 10mg or 20mg), or 30 pills of Cialis for daily use (dose: 2.5mg or 5mg).
Levitra Three-For-Free Voucher
The official website of Levitra also provides 3-pills-for-free vouchers that you can redeem at your pharmacy to receive 3 free Levitra pills with the dosage that your doctor has prescribed for you.
Note: These offers are only valid to US residents. If you live outside the US you can still visit/call your doctor or pharmacy to see if they have any free vouchers or special offers for ED drugs.
———-
This is probably our last blog post in 2009, so see you next year with more news and content updates.
Finally, we wish a healthy and happy new year to everyone!
Recreational Use of Viagra and Its Risks
Viagra has its spot among the most abused medications around the world. Love is an essential and critical part of everyone’s life, and when it comes to making love there’s nothing more important to men than getting it up big time. That’s why Viagra hits the nail right on the head for most men!
Viagra was developed and approved for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, and only to be used with a doctor’s prescription. However, many men who do not have ED or a prescription use Viagra as a recreational drug hoping for more action in bed. In fact, the maker of Viagra, Pfizer, has been accused and even sued many times for promoting the recreational use of this drug through pushy, off-label marketing.
The abuse of Viagra is so common among old and young men who can become psychologically addicted to the magic little blue pill. This can negatively affect relationships as it takes intimacy out of the relationship and makes sexual experience for men a mere physical activity that only requires a stiff erection. Read more on how Viagra can affect women and relationships.
More dangerously, Viagra abuse has repeatedly been linked to many sexual abuse, violence against women, and other criminal cases.
People who misuse Viagra are often unaware of the health hazards this drug may pose on their own bodies and well-being. Viagra may interact with other medications (like nitrates) and the results can be fatal. Viagra may also have risky or deadly results in users who suffer from other health conditions. Read more about the dangers of abusing Viagra.
So, if you (plan to) use Viagra without a prescription you might want to think twice before popping the pill. A doctor’s physical examination is required to ensure that Viagra is safe and appropriate for you, and also to be aware of the possible short-term and long-term side effects of this medicine.
Avanafil: The New “Son of Viagra” By Vivus
The US drug developer Vivus Inc is testing a new erectile dysfunction drug. Avanafil (dubbed as Son of Viagra) is a PDE5 inhibitor (same as Viagra), which relaxes blood vessels and improves the male’s ability to get and maintain stiff erections.
In a clinical trial of Avanafil, 646 men with ED were given 50mg, 100mg, and 200mg doses of the medicine. All patients experienced improvement and increased ability to get an erection within 30 minutes of taking the medication.
Vivus is expected to continue safety and effectiveness studies on this new treatment before filing for FDA approval. If approved, Avanafil will enter the highly competitive, multi-billion ED treatment market in the US, which is already dominated by the blockbuster little blue pill (Viagra), Cialis and Levitra. The company hopes that Avanafil’s quicker onset will give it an edge over competitor drugs.
Another ED drug marketed by Vivus is Muse (alprostadil). The brand name of this drug, MUSE, stands for Medicated Urethral Suppository for Erection, and as the name suggests this drug is administered as a urethral suppository. Ouch!
Earlier this month, Dong-A Pharmaceutical Co. announced that their ED drug, Udenafil, is en route to FDA approval and US marketing authorization.
With Pfizer’s worldwide patents on Viagra (sildenafil citrate) expiring in a few years (2011-2013), the impotence treatment market is definitely on the edge of some dramatic changes with more and more new rival drugs (brand and generic) lining up for FDA approval.
ED patients should be excited about these upcoming competitors, which will hopefully help reduce the skyrocketing prices of prescription ED treatments.
Zydena (Udenafil) Undergoes U.S. Trials
Udenafil is a new oral treatment for erectile dysfunction developed by the Korean Dong-A PharmTech Co. Ltd. This new medication has entered phase III trials in the United States.
Udenafil is a long-lasting PDE-5 inhibitor, and so it works in the same mechanism as Viagra, i.e. it relaxes blood vessels and allows more blood to flow to the genitals, which improves the man’s ability to achieve and maintain a firm erection during sexual arousal.
This drug is already approved and marketed under the brand name Zydena in some countries, including Korea and Russia. Dong-A is crossing fingers that in a couple of years they will be granted marketing authorization for Udenafil in the US and EU.
If it gets approved by the FDA, Zydena (Udenafil) will become the fourth prescription treatment option for ED patients that will compete with Viagra (sildenafil citrate), Cialis (tadalafil), and Levitra (vardenafil). More competition is always in favor of consumers who get more options, from which they can choose what is best for them in terms of results, safety, and price (after consulting a doctor, of course).
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.
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.