{"id":27047,"date":"2019-07-04T08:00:55","date_gmt":"2019-07-04T08:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/?p=27047"},"modified":"2019-07-03T00:57:46","modified_gmt":"2019-07-03T00:57:46","slug":"the-future-of-ed-treatment-as-viagra-patents-finally-end","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/erectile-dysfunction\/the-future-of-ed-treatment-as-viagra-patents-finally-end\/","title":{"rendered":"The Future of ED Treatment as Viagra Patents Finally End"},"content":{"rendered":"

The April 2020 expiration of Pfizer\u2019s final U.S. patents on Viagra should usher in an era of increased generic competition — and lower prices. It should also stimulate research into other forms of erectile dysfunction treatment.<\/em><\/p>\n

Introduction<\/h3>\n

In April 2020, pharmaceuticals giant Pfizer will lose the last of its U.S. patents on Viagra, the iconic little blue pill that singlehandedly revolutionized the treatment of erectile dysfunction.<\/p>\n

At that point, all but one (Stendra is the sole exception) of the brand-name ED drugs available in the United States will face direct generic competition with no real strings attached. Until that time, Teva, which manufactures one of the top-selling generic alternatives to Viagra, must continue to pay Pfizer a hefty licensing fee for the privilege of producing and marketing its generic alternative.<\/p>\n

While that moment should mark the opening round in a more heated generic battle for a bigger share of the overall ED medication market, it also might usher in accelerated research into other forms of treatment. The overwhelming popularity of oral ED drugs like Viagra and their virtual monopoly on the market has discouraged some researchers from investing too much of their R&amp;D budgets into finding new and better treatment methods. That is likely to change.<\/p>\n

Perhaps most significantly for the men who suffer from an inability to get and keep an erection suitable for intercourse, prices of existing drugs will likely soften as competition heats up.<\/p>\n

Drawbacks of PDE5 Inhibitors<\/h3>\n

While Viagra and the other oral ED drugs known as PDE5 inhibitors have helped millions of men to overcome their symptoms of impotence, these medications are not without their drawbacks.<\/p>\n

While these drugs are safe and effective in 60 to 70 percent of all men with ED, they don\u2019t work for everyone. These medications were designed to address the largest single cause of ED — insufficient blood flow to the penis. While such vascular insufficiency is responsible for roughly 80 percent of all ED, it is not the only cause of the disorder.<\/p>\n

For men whose ED is primarily psychological in origin, the PDE5 inhibitors do little if anything to help them overcome their problems of impotence. As things now stand, such men must rely on psychological counseling to help them identify the precise cause of their problem. And overcoming that problem usually isn\u2019t accomplished solely by popping a pill, at least not yet.<\/p>\n

And, sadly, a certain number of men whose ED may be vascular in origin simply don\u2019t respond positively to Viagra and the other PDE5 inhibitors currently available. These reasons aren\u2019t altogether clear, but the pills simply don\u2019t produce the desired results for certain men.<\/p>\n

In still other cases, the generally mild side effects of the PDE5 inhibitors prove unbearable for a small number of men who\u2019ve tried them. Those side effects include back pain, dizziness, facial flushing, headache, indigestion, muscle ache, nausea, and runny or stuffy nose. For most men, such side effects, if they occur at all, are short lived and disappear altogether upon continued use. However, for some men, those side effects can be more acute.<\/p>\n

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Botox isn’t just for the face anymore.\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

4 Potential New Treatments<\/h3>\n

Despite the enormous popularity of PDE5 inhibitors, researchers have been working to find alternative treatments in recent years. Generally speaking, however, these research efforts have not been as heavily funded as they might have been were it not for the tight grip the PDE5 inhibitors have on the market.<\/p>\n

In a recent article posted at MensHealth.com<\/a>, writer Eric Spritznagel takes a quick look at some of the more promising new treatments that have been developed in recent years.<\/p>\n