{"id":4022,"date":"2017-08-18T08:00:59","date_gmt":"2017-08-18T08:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.viamedic.com\/blog\/?p=4022"},"modified":"2017-08-18T08:00:59","modified_gmt":"2017-08-18T08:00:59","slug":"why-the-us-military-spends-so-much-money-on-viagra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/erectile-dysfunction\/viagra\/why-the-us-military-spends-so-much-money-on-viagra\/","title":{"rendered":"Why the US Military Spends So Much Money on Viagra"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Viagra\"
The incidence of erectile dysfunction is disproportionately high among U.S. military men suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In a series of early-morning tweets in late July 2017, President Donald Trump announced to the world that transgendered individuals would no longer be accepted into the ranks of the U.S. military.<\/p>\n

As part of the justification for this newly imposed ban, Trump cited the \u201ctremendous medical costs\u201d generated on behalf of transgendered service personnel.<\/p>\n

Predictably, the media promptly dug for the data behind the president\u2019s assertion, only to find that gender transition-related medical treatment costs to the military ranged from $2.4 million to $8.4 million annually, according to a 2016 study conducted by the Rand Corporation.<\/p>\n

Much More Spent on ED Drugs<\/strong><\/p>\n

Even if one assumed that the high end of the Rand Corporation\u2019s estimate was accurate, outlays of $8.4 million a year pale in comparison with other medical bills footed by the Pentagon on behalf of the men and women who defend this country. For example, the Defense Health Agency reported in 2015 that the Pentagon shelled out roughly $84 million for erectile dysfunction drugs for U.S. servicemen in 2014. The ED drugs estimate prompted some observers to ask — rhetorically, it\u2019s assumed — if the military would soon ban impotent men from serving their country.<\/p>\n

In a February 2015 article posted at MilitaryTimes.com<\/a>, writer Patricia Kimes said that total Defense Department spending on ED drugs from 2011 through 2014 amounted to $294 million, nearly enough to buy four U.S. Air Force F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.<\/p>\n

Viagra Accounts for Half of Spending<\/strong><\/p>\n

Of the $84 million outlay for ED drugs in 2014, nearly half — $41.6 million — was spent to buy Viagra, Pfizer\u2019s iconic little blue pill that first made its debut in 1998. The remainder was spent to fill prescriptions for other popular ED drugs, such as Cialis, Levitra, Staxyn, and Stendra. Cialis ranked second in popularity among military personnel, accounting for $22.8 million in spending. In all, 1.8 million ED drug prescriptions were filled in 2014 for all military beneficiaries, including active duty personnel, veterans, and dependents.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, according to MilitaryTimes.com, active-duty troops filled only 102,885 prescriptions for ED drugs, less than 10 percent of all Defense Health Agency expenditures for impotence drugs. Although no further breakdown of this spending is cited, it\u2019s likely that most ED spending went to fill prescriptions for military veterans suffering from erection problems, or so suggests Annalisa Merelli, author of an article posted at Quartz Media LLC<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Viagra\"
Many U.S. combat veterans undergo psychological counseling to overcome their symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

PTSD, Sexual Dysfunction Linked<\/strong><\/p>\n

Merelli cites a study published in the April 2015 issue of \u201cThe Journal of Sexual Medicine\u201d<\/a> that concludes the incidence of sexual dysfunction is far more common among military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder than in their civilian counterparts. That study, conducted by researchers affiliated with the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, observes that sexual health \u201cis a significant predictor of physical and emotional health and overall quality of life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Given the adverse effects of PTSD on both emotional and physical health, it comes as little surprise that veterans suffering from the disorder experience higher levels of sexual dysfunction than the general population. However, the researchers point out, the rate at which sexual dysfunction occurs among veterans with PTSD is surprisingly high.<\/p>\n

Earlier Study Cited<\/strong><\/p>\n

They cite an earlier study, published in the November 2002 issue of \u201cUrology\u201d<\/a> that compared the incidence of sexual dysfunction among combat veterans who suffered from PTSD and combat veterans who had no symptoms of PTSD. To assess the level of sexual function among study participants, researchers administered the International Index of Erectile Function, as well as demographic and health questionnaires.<\/p>\n

The study group was made up of 44 male combat veterans who were under treatment for PTSD and a control group of male combat veterans of similar ages who showed no signs of the disorder. The rate of erectile dysfunction among veterans with PTSD was 85 percent, sharply higher than the 22 percent of the control group members who suffered from ED. Forty-five percent of the veterans with PTSD suffered from moderate to severe ED, compared with only 13 percent of those in the control group.<\/p>\n

Military Sex Trauma<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a commentary on the findings of the 2015 study, VA Research Currents points out that combat is the not the only cause of trauma among service members, noting that about 24 percent of female veterans seeking VA care report a history of military sex trauma, or MST. This form of trauma can lead to sexual dysfunction among female veterans, which often manifests itself as vaginal pain.<\/p>\n

The negative effects of MST on sexual function often exceed those of comparable sexual trauma in the civilian world, according to the VA Research Currents article. Although the reasons are not altogether clear, it may be that the trauma is exacerbated in cases where victims of MST are forced to continue to work with their attackers.<\/p>\n

Substance Abuse Common<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whether the trauma stems from the mental and physical stresses of combat or from MST, victims of these post-traumatic stress disorders often turn to substance abuse to dull their senses and continue to function. However, the excessive use of alcohol or drugs usually tends to worsen the symptoms of sexual dysfunction.<\/p>\n

\"Viagra\"
Both men and women who serve in the military have been diagnosed with the symptoms of PTSD.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One beneficiary of the military\u2019s ED medications program is Adrian Bonenberger who served multiple tours of duty in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n

According to postings on his Facebook page, which he gave Quartz Media permission to quote, he was prescribed Viagra while undergoing PTSD therapy after leaving the military.<\/p>\n

The ED drug, wrote Bonenberger, helped significantly in his recovery, although he acknowledged that \u201cit was embarrassing to ask and it\u2019s embarrassing to admit it, but sex was impossible for me without it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prescription Needed<\/strong><\/p>\n

Civilians who are suffering from the symptoms of erectile dysfunction should check their health care coverage to find out if their plans cover ED drugs.<\/p>\n

However, whether covered or not, you\u2019ll need a prescription to purchase these medications, which are available from your local neighborhood pharmacy or through a reliable online supplier, such as eDrugstore.com.<\/p>\n

If the convenience and confidentiality of an online transaction appeals to you, check out what eDrugstore has to offer. If you already have a prescription from your doctor, you can fax it or scan and email it to eDrugstore along with your order. If you don\u2019t have a prescription, eDrugstore can set up a complimentary online consultation with one of its team of licensed U.S. physicians, who can authorize a prescription if your symptoms and overall medical history deem it appropriate.<\/p>\n

Part of the Secure Medical family of online drugstores, eDrugstore is based in Tempe, Arizona, and sells only FDA-approved medications that are sourced exclusively from licensed U.S. pharmacies. To learn more about what eDrugstore has to offer, click here to access its Male Impotence page<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a series of early-morning tweets in late July 2017, President Donald Trump announced to the world that transgendered individuals would no longer be accepted into the ranks of the U.S. military. As part of the justification for this newly imposed ban, Trump cited the \u201ctremendous medical costs\u201d generated on behalf of transgendered service personnel. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4023,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_autoblog_aioseo_focus_keyphrase":"","_autoblog_aioseo_title":"","_autoblog_aioseo_description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[197],"class_list":["post-4022","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-viagra","tag-viagra-2"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t