BBC - Sex drug demand surges
Wednesday, July 22, 1998 Published at 12:34 GMT 13:34 UK
Viagra: Men are seeking help after many years
Demand for impotence wonder drug Viagra is surging in
the UK, but in the US sales have begun to tail off three
months after launch.
Nottingham GP Dr Peter Barrett, a council member of
the Institution of Psycho-Sexual Medicine, said about
100 men had made inquiries about Viagra at his surgery
even though the drug will not be available in the UK until
this autumn.
Dr Barrett said: "I am not surprised at the number of
people who have asked about Viagra with all the media
interest, but it does highlight the fact that so many men
were reluctant in the past to talk about impotence and
erectile disfunction because of embarrassment.
"The media hype has helped them realise that there
might be something to be achieved by talking to
somebody else about their problems."
Taking risks
Doctors' leaders have estimated that around 10% of the
male population suffers from impotence problems, and
that demand for Viagra could top œ1bn a year.
Dr Barrett warned that GP workload could also spiral.
He said: "Once somebody has been brave enough to
make a disclosure and break the ice it is incumbent on
GPs to deal with the problem seriously and give people
sufficient time to talk things over properly."
Despite warnings from manufacturer Pfizer that Viagra
should not be taken in combination with some heart
disease treatments, Dr Barrett said men with a history of
cardiac problems were still asking for the drug.
"Does not seem to matter to them. There was almost a
dare culture of I will be alright, it won't happen to me," he
said.
"They got quite upset when I said no GPs in their right
mind would prescribe Viagra for you."
Dr Peter Holden, a Derbyshire GP who warned the
British Medical Association conference in Cardiff last
month that demand for Viagra could swamp the NHS,
said patients were inquiring about the drug at his surgery
at the rate of one a day.
He said: "People are making inquiries even though they
know the drug is not available yet. There is bound to be
a rise in interest towards the end of September when
Viagra is due to be made available."
Overestimated sex drive
The slow down in US sales
has been blamed in part for
patients, often starved of sex
for years, making less use of
the pill than they initially
thought.
Dr Francois Eid, director of
the New York Presbyterian
Impotency Centre, said:
"Many people are having less
sex than they had
anticipated."
In addition some insurers will not pay for the drug.
Steve Lisi, an analyst with New York investment firm
Mehta Partners, said: "The euphoria is probably gone."
In the week ended July 10, pharmacists filled 184,312
prescriptions for the little blue pill, compared to a peak of
303,424 in the week ended May 8, according to industry
researcher IMS Health. The drug was launched in the US
on April 10.
Some US patients appear to be giving up the drug
completely.
Poor advice
In the initial rush to try the drug, many patients got scant
advice from their physicians, and used the drug under
less-than-ideal conditions, including taking Viagra too
soon after a meal, with another drug, or without
appropriate sexual stimulation.
Dr Eid said: "It can take half a dozen tries before
everything goes perfectly. Some will give up after one or
two attempts."
Viagra is still on course to generate œ1bn sales in the
US its first year.
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