The United Kingdom will soon offer Viagra, the Erectile Dysfunction medication, over the counter, without a prescription. The UK Medicines regulator announced the decision by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on November 28 in hopes that de-regulation would help prevent men from ordering the drug off unregulated websites.
The popular drug has enhanced the lives of many men and been credited with revolutionizing the treatment for impotence among men. First released in 1998, the little blue pill has since become a popular target for thieves and frauds.
Although prescriptions for Viagra have been tripled in Britain in the last decade, illicit purchases have increased even more. In fact, there is still a large black market worldwide around the globe.
Pfizer, the drug’s manufacturer, plans to call the OTC version of Viagra “Viagra Connect” and the offer is starting in the spring of 2018. Available in packs of four and eight, the new drug will retail about $20 and $35, respectively.
Results from a safety assessment by the MHRA, as well as positive responses from public polling and advice from the Commission on Human Medicines, indicated that releasing Viagra without a prescription would be a good move to keep men healthier as well as reduce the unlicensed and counterfeit pills currently circulating.
Although some men will seek medical treatment for ED, doctors concur that many men will not, out of unease or shame. Even though the popularity of the drug has skyrocketed and opened up a dialogue about men’s erectile health, still many men turn to the black market or unauthorized Viagra in lieu of consulting a physician. The hope with the OTC release is that men in need of the lifestyle-enhancing medication will be able to procure it more readily.
It is important to note that Viagra Connect will not be sold to men with severe cardiac disorders or other underlying health conditions that may be affected by the use of the drug or vigorous exercise. A doctor’s consultation is still advised.
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