Erectile Dysfunction Drug Viagra Made $1.2 Billion in 2017

The erectile dysfunction (ED) drug Viagra had a good year.In 2017, Pfizer’s top-selling ED helper generated $789 million in the United States and $416 million outside the U.S.

Avoiding fake Viagra

Although there are other erectile dysfunction drugs that have been approved by the FDA, Viagra continues to be not only the best selling, but also the most counterfeited drug in the world. While imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, it may also be the most dangerous when it comes to Viagra.

Men with erectile dysfunction sometimes try to skip the doctor, seeking to buy Viagra from the Black Market or in other forms, such as supplements promising to cure erectile dysfunction.

At best, these men are throwing their money away on something that won’t work for their erectile dysfunction. At worst, they’re ingesting toxic ingredients that can make them sick—or worse. From road paint and detergent to arsenic and talcum powder, fake Viagra can skip stiff and take you straight to rigor mortis.

The advantages of getting a prescription for Viagra

One of the advantages to requiring a prescription for Viagra is that the FDA can continually monitor the erectile dysfunction drug for effectiveness and purity.

In addition, requiring men to see a doctor for a prescription can help ensure that they find any underlying health issues—such as heart disease or diabetes—that can be causing the erectile dysfunction.

There’s also an opportunity for the doctor to review your current medications to check them against interactions with Viagra. Nitrates, “poppers,” alpha-blockers and certain antifungals, for example, can potentially cause issues if taken with Viagra.

Although most men can tolerate the minor side effects of Viagra, talking to a doctor can help you better understand what to expect. Symptoms like flushing, headache, upset stomach, runny nose and back pain are common with Viagra, but chest pain isn’t.