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Biotech / Medical : Pharma News Only (pfe,mrk,wla, sgp, ahp, bmy, lly) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Anthony Wong who wrote (545)	7/15/1998 3:22:00 PM
From: Anthony Wong	Respond to of 1722

Viagra Expands The Erectile Dysfunction Market Business Wire July 15, 1998, 12:58 ET Health/Medical/Pharmaceutical Writers NEWTOWN, Pa.--(BW HealthWire)--July 15, 1998--Office-based physicians reported 3 million visits for erectile dysfunction in the 12 months ending April 1998, according to health care consultants Scott-Levin. That represents a 34% increase in the number of patients seeking treatment for erectile dysfunction from May 1997 to April 1998. Most of these visits are a result of Viagra, which went on the market in April. Scott-Levin data also show that erectile dysfunction patients requested drug therapy during 45% of the visits, and about 75% of the patient requests were granted by physicians. Viagra was the therapy requested most often during the 12 months ending April 1998, followed by MUSE and Caverject. According to Scott-Levin's Source Prescription Audit: -- Urologists wrote the most prescriptions (43%) for erectile dysfunction therapies in April 1998, followed by primary care physicians who prescribed 42% of the 659,000 prescriptions dispensed in that month. -- During its first month of availability, Viagra gained nearly 95% of the new prescriptions and 90% of the total prescriptions dispensed for this market. -- The Viagra launch arguably could be the most successful in history, considering the product generated 592,000 prescriptions in its first month on the market. In comparison to recent launches, the oral diabetes agent Rezulin produced 78,000 prescriptions in April 1997, the lipid lowering drug Lipitor generated 139,000 prescriptions in March 1997, and the obesity drug Redux attained 153,000 prescriptions in June 1996. -- In the 12 months ending April 1998, U.S. consumers spent $196 million on erectile dysfunction therapies at retail pharmacies. Managed care plans covered only half of the prescriptions dispensed for erectile dysfunction therapies in April 1998, compared to an industry average of 65%. On average, Viagra cost consumers about $9.30 per tablet in April. Scott-Levin's Source Prescription Audit Weekly data shows nearly 1.4 million Viagra prescriptions were dispensed since launch as of the week ending May 15, 1998. For more information, please contact Kevin McFadden at 800/982-5613. Scott-Levin, a division of PMSI/Scott-Levin Inc., provides consulting and communications services to pharmaceutical companies worldwide, including market research audits that address every aspect of pharmaceutical promotion. Visit Scott-Levin on the World Wide Web at scottlevin.com. --30--kjs/ix* CONTACT: Scott-Levin, Newtown Kevin McFadden, 800/982-5613 215/860-0440 Fax: 215/860-5477 email@scottlevin.com www.scottlevin.com KEYWORD: PENNSYLVANIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MEDICINE PHARMACEUTICAL Today's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internet with Hyperlinks to your home page. URL: businesswire.com -0- (BW ) Jul/15/98 12:43 EOS (BUS) Jul/15/98 12:43 86 -0- (BUS) Jul/15/ 98 12:58