Study: Majority of Men with Loss of Erection Dysfunction Go Untreated

Despite the message given by the influx of erection treatment pill commercials, the majority of men suffering with this condition aren’t getting treatment. A new study suggests that 75 percent of men go to the doctor, but don’t actually fill their prescription.

Men go without treatment for ED Erection Issues

Brian Helfand, an assistant clinical professor of urology at Northshore University Health System and the University of Chicago says, “erection treatments overall, are underutilized.”

Helfand looked through insurance claims for an erection problems diagnosis and found 6.2 million men had been diagnosed with the condition between June 2010 and July 2011. Helfand then looked to see how many of those patients actually filled a prescription for an Erection medication pills like Viagra or Cialis. Just 25 percent of patients actually took the steps to fill their prescription.

Further analysis shows men 65 years and older are only more likely to have erection issues, but they are least likely to fill a prescription for treatment.

Possible barriers

According to WebMD, there are several barriers that could prevent men from filling their prescriptions, one of which is cost. While the prices vary on each erection medication, some men consider this kind of lifestyle medication a luxury and don’t want to spend the extra cash to pay for it, say experts.

Another barrier: embarrassment. While television ads make Erection Issues seem less taboo, it’s not easy for some men to acknowledge this problem, let alone take the necessary steps to see a doctor about it.

Helfand says the takeaway message from his research should be that, “there are available therapies out there.”