UK Becomes First To Sell Viagra Over The Counter

“Pharmacists are so accessible for people – here at Boots we are open seven days a week. “I think this is a great development as men can be very slow to look after their health, especially their sexual health. This is not something that people have to put up with.” Viagra Connect is available at the pharmacy counter at 86 Boots pharmacy stores nationwide.

To find one near you, visit the store locator on the Boots.ie website.

• In some countries, certain potent ED drugs are available OTC.
• Regulatory standards for OTC ED remedies are often less strict.
• OTC remedies may not require a healthcare professional consultation.
• Some OTC products claim rapid improvement in erectile function.
• Risks include allergic reactions and drug interactions.
• Consider lifestyle changes alongside OTC ED treatments for better results.

Last week the United Kingdom announced one type of Viagra will be made available to men without prescription in pharmacies. The Commission on Human Medicines made this recommendation after taking into account several factors including the potential dangers of use without medical supervision and the level of expected side effects. The commission stated pharmacists are expert healthcare professionals with the skills and expertise to assess whether a treatment is appropriate and to give advice about the use of medicines. In Australia, some men are at increased risk of harm because they rely on access to counterfeit medicines when they’re unable to obtain a prescription. Making Viagra available over the counter in Australia would be reasonable and safe if pharmacists are given adequate training and take appropriate steps before deciding to dispense the drug. Read more: Weekly dose: the hard facts on Viagra Viagra (generic name sildenafil) is a drug used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence. The drug is sold in doses ranging from 25mg to 100mg. Under the UK decision, the drug will be supplied under the brand Viagra Connect, which comes only in a dose of 50mg and in a maximum pack size of eight tablets. This change will move the drug from being a prescription-only medicine to a pharmacist medicine.

In Australia, these drug classifications are equivalent to our schedule four medicines (prescription-only medicine) and schedule three (pharmacist-only medicine), respectively. A schedule three medicine can be supplied to a patient without a prescription, but only after consultation with a pharmacist. Other schedule three medicines sold in Australia best viagra for men include the morning after pill, oral antifungal treatments such as those for thrush, and some antibiotics such as an ointment to treat conjunctivitis.

Understanding Sildenafil

"You could have narrowing of the blood vessels due to heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes. There could be hormonal issues, or it could be due to side effects from medication," O'Sullivan explains, adding that it is thought that psychological factors such as anxiety and depression could be responsible for up to one in 10 cases of erectile dysfunction2. Lifestyle issues can play a significant role, and pharmacists can advise on dietary changes, smoking cessation, and reducing alcohol intake. Erectile dysfunction may also be an issue for some men following prostate surgery. But by far one of the biggest impacts of erectile dysfunction is on a man’s quality of life – as well as his partner’s.

What else should you do for your ED?

“Your relationship satisfaction, your self-esteem, your self-confidence, it’s all impacted,” says O’Sullivan. “That doesn’t even take into india viagra account the wider implications such as depression or the underlying medical condition that could be causing harm to other body organs.” He adds that broader accessibility to Viagra Connect can also help men to open up the conversation with their partner. Given their location on the main street of most towns, pharmacies are often the first port of call for everyday health problems. O'Sullivan points out that pharmacists are highly trained healthcare professionals with a clear understanding of the difficulties of erectile dysfunction2. He is enthusiastic about the launch of Viagra Connect over the counter at Boots, saying it will break down the barriers that often prevent men from seeking help for this normal but distressing condition. Like all medications, Viagra has known common side effects. These include rash, diarrhoea, abnormal vision and an increased risk of urinary tract infections. Less common side effects include increased heart rate, fainting and low blood pressure. Given these risks, Viagra Connect will not be available without prescription in the UK to any patient who has a diagnosed heart disorder, is at risk of heart disease, has liver failure or severe kidney failure, or is taking any medicines that are incompatible with Viagra. For these men, they can still potentially access the drug through a prescription from their doctor.

Read more: A sexually satisfying event for women, or just a new identity for an old antidepressant? There’s no reason Australia couldn’t undertake a similar reclassification. Potential benefits include less demand on already overworked GPs, and reducing the growing prevalence of counterfeit medicine use in Australia. When men have difficulty obtaining a prescription for Viagra many turn to buying counterfeit medicines from either sex shops or illegal websites.

• The concept of OTC Viagra is more common in discussions than in practice.
• Many so-called OTC Viagra products are illegal or unapproved.
• Pharmacists generally cannot dispense prescription ED medications OTC.
• Online vendors may falsely claim OTC availability to attract customers.
• Due diligence is essential to avoid counterfeit or dangerous products.
• Responsible use of ED treatments involves medical supervision and advice.

It has been estimated up to 1,800 illegitimate internet pharmacies exist in the world.

Levitra vs. Viagra: which is stronger?

Drugs in the UK are classified into three categories: Prescription-only medicine; pharmacy (can be sold over-the-counter in pharmacies); or general sales list (can be sold in retail stores, such as supermarkets). Viagra Connect is the first erectile dysfunction drug to gain pharmacy status in the UK. Viagra Connect will be sold as a 50 mg tablet only; the prescription drug will remain available as 25, 50 and 100 mg tablets. Attempts to move Viagra to over-the-counter status failed in 2008, but the process began again with a public consultation launched in March 2017. "This decision was made following a reassuring assessment of the safety of the Viagra Connect, advice from the Commission on Human Medicines, and a public consultation earlier this year with positive outcome," noted the U.K.'s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Related medical questions

One factor behind the MHRA's approval is the sheer volume of counterfeit Viagra shipped and sold. The ED treatment is the most commonly counterfeited drug available online, according to a report from CNN. "Erectile dysfunction medicines are a popular target for criminals selling unlicensed and counterfeit medicines," stated the MHRA. "Over the past 5 years, investigators from MHRA have seized more than £50 million [$67.2 million] of unlicensed and counterfeit erectile dysfunction medicines." Counterfeit drugs typically have higher risk and can come with off-target effects or other safety issues. Selling Viagra over the country could give Pfizer another channel for demand in Europe. Many of the medicines these sell either have the wrong drug or the wrong amount of drug in them, which presents a serious risk to consumers.

Treating ED Without Medications

Sales of the drug outside of the U.S. and Canada fell 30% year over year in the third quarter of 2017, as generic competition eats into revenues from Europe. The first generic version of the drug will reach the U.S. market next month, courtesy of Teva. Already, Pfizer has seen wholesalers destock ahead of generic entry.

Consult with a board-certified physician.

The launch of Viagra in 1998 wasn’t so much the arrival of a new medicine as the dawn of a new era in erectile dysfunction management as doctors finally had an effective and straightforward treatment for this frustrating and distressing condition. More than two decades later, Viagra Connect has now become the first erectile dysfunction medication to be available over the counter in Boots pharmacies – without needing a prescription. The reality is that erectile dysfunction, defined as the persistent or recurrent inability to get or maintain an erection, affects many more men than people realise. In fact, it’s a normal problem that can occur at any age, says Donal O’Sullivan, the support pharmacist at Boots in Macroom, Co Cork. "Men are reluctant to talk about it and there's a lot of embarrassment around it, but a lot of them probably don't know that it is quite common. Down-scheduling Viagra in Australia would give men safe access to the drug and prevent complications and deaths from counterfeit medicines.

Simple lifestyle tips help erectile dysfunction

One research study estimated the prevalence as high as 18 per cent in men," he explains1. Yet it is believed that as many as two-thirds of all men with erectile dysfunction do not engage with a healthcare provider to seek advice or treatment. And while previously men had to first visit their GP to obtain a prescription, now they can purchase Viagra Connect from the pharmacy counter in their local Boots pharmacy following a brief chat with the pharmacist. This is an easy and discreet process, O’Sullivan is keen to emphasise, noting that all pharmacies now have a private consultation area where they can have a “discreet and confidential” chat with the customer. “We do a brief patient consultation with the person, weekend viagra making sure they feel comfortable.

Rx or OTC, consult a doctor first

We take a few minutes to assess the suitability of Viagra Connect for the patient using a pharmacy consultation guide and we ask about medications they might be taking, and any medical conditions they might have. We emphasise that they should have a consultation with their doctor within six months of starting Viagra Connect to address any underlying causes for erectile dysfunction, or even if they are not suitable for Viagra Connect,” O’Sullivan says. That’s because another common misperception is that erectile dysfunction is not a medical condition – when it very much is. Erectile dysfunction generally occurs because of diminished blood flow and Viagra Connect can help restore the supply by dilating blood vessels. This narrowing of the blood vessels can sometimes be an early warning of a more insidious condition and it is thought that up to four in five cases of erectile dysfunction are linked to an underlying disorder. Over-the-counter supply in Australia would be safe as long as the right processes are put in place to minimise the risk to the patients. Such processes could include a tailored training program for pharmacists. This would cover the essential steps for them to follow in deciding to dispense the drug, which might include use of a checklist.