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Though Pfizer has held off generic competition in the US after winning a court case against Israeli pharmaceutical giant Teva, the patent’s expiration in the UK was not contested or appealed.
Now that the UK patent for Viagra is ending, it means that competing pharmaceutical companies in the UK may now legally sell their own branded, generic Viagra substitutes for significantly lower prices.
UK Generics Waiting in the Wings
Currently in the UK, Viagra costs around £10 per pill (approximately $15.70 US), but generic drug makers there are expected to sell their products for as little as .85 per pill (approximately $1.33 US).
In 2007, 1.8 million Brits were prescribed Viagra; that number increased to 2.3 million in 2012. Around one-fifth of UK prescriptions for Viagra are privately issued, because the National Health Service strictly limits the use of Viagra.
Another possible option for UK customers could be Pfizer’s own “generic.” In 2011, the patent for Viagra in New Zealand expired, and Pfizer released a drug called Avigra at a much lower price than Viagra. It’s not yet know whether Pfizer will sell Avigra in the UK.
Why Pfizer Isn’t Worried
Pfizer is taking the expiration of its UK patent in stride, and investors everywhere are being told to hang onto their Pfizer stock. Though Viagra is still considered a blockbuster drug, Pfizer currently has five other drugs that bring in more revenue.
Pfizer is planning to sell Viagra directly to UK consumers over the internet, cutting out middlemen and opening up new revenue opportunities. Last year, the National Health Service only spent £40.3 million ($63.2 million US) on Viagra — a small fraction of the $2 billion in worldwide sales of the drug. And with Pfizer hanging onto its patent protection in the US for several more years, the company isn’t too worried about the situation in the UK affecting sales significantly.
Finally, there’s the not-insignificant fact that the word “Viagra” is practically synonymous with treatment for erectile dysfunction, generating strong brand loyalty among many men.
What to Watch Out For
UK men who buy Viagra should watch out for purported generics being offered before real UK generics are on the market. Pre-June 21 “generics” are illegal and are not officially regulated in any way to certify their safety. Therefore, men in the UK should be wary of early ads for generic Viagra and should consult their physicians to determine whether they’re legitimate generics or not.
One bonus that men in the UK may be able to expect is a drop in prices for Viagra’s main competitors, Cialis and Levitra. Though those drugs remain on-patent in the UK until 2018 and 2017, respectively, prices may drop in order for them to survive in the UK market.
The effects of the ending of Pfizer’s patent for Viagra in the UK won’t be felt much on the US side of the Atlantic, although scam artists will undoubtedly try to sell counterfeit versions of UK generics in the US. Men in the US who use Viagra will still need to be vigilant about their sources for Viagra, should they decide to forego the local pharmacy. They should only purchase Viagra from online providers based in the US that require a prescription and dispense only brand name erectile dysfunction drugs (since generics are not legally available in the US yet).
eDrugstore.com has been dispensing genuine Viagra made by Pfizer since 1998 and works with US-licensed pharmacists who dispense the drugs only via prescription. Thousands of men have chosen to order Viagra through eDrugstore.com, because of their commitment to competitive pricing, safety, and customer privacy.
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