Forget Viagra! Now ANOTHER type of erection drug will go on sale in shops
Another erection drug will be available over-the-counter in the UK, regulators announced today.
Cialis is now legal to sell without a prescription due to a rule change.
Manufacturers of the drug claim that it is superior to Viagra because it works faster – in just 30 minutes.
The effects can also last for up to 36 hours – six times longer than the little blue pill.
The move applies to Cialis Together, a specific version of the drug.
Cialis works faster than Viagra and comfortably has the longest effectiveness period of any erectile dysfunction medication on the market. While Viagra lasts for 4 to 6 hours, Cialis usually lasts up to 36 hours after taking a tablet
The move will allow men over the age of 18 to purchase the brand of tablets from a pharmacy without a prescription.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which oversees the safety of drugs used in Britain, made the decision.
It followed the advice of the Commission for Human Medicines, which advises the government on the safety, efficacy and quality of medicines.
Health officials said today that the reclassification “raises awareness of erectile dysfunction” for millions of men.
However, the MHRA warned today that the drug should not be sold to people with serious cardiovascular conditions.
This also applies to men at height cardiovascular risk, people with severe kidney or liver failure or men taking certain interacting medicines.
According to the NHS, tadalafil – the generic name of Cialis – can cause a temporary but dangerous drop in blood pressure.
Men at higher cardiovascular risk “should remain under a doctor’s supervision,” the MHRA affirmed.
The new rules will restrict sales to pharmacies, meaning men will be questioned about their health before being sold the pills.
This means that men cannot buy the drugs in convenience stores, supermarkets or gas stations, as is possible with aspirin and other drugs.
Sales will also be limited to a box of 10mg pills, known as the “standard dose.”
The move comes about five years after Viagra was given the over-the-counter go-ahead in 2018.
Viagra connect, the brand approved, costs around £20 for a box of four.
Drugs such as Viagra are used in at least two-thirds of cases to treat erectile dysfunction, according to the NHS.
Erectile dysfunction is more common in people over 40, but affects men of all ages.
It affects about 4.3 million men in the UK and 30 million in the US.
But experts say that up to 70 percent of men are too embarrassed to ask for advice about the problem, preventing them from seeking help.
Even worse, many men are turning to the internet to buy supplies of the drug, often buying illegal or counterfeit versions from abroad, putting them at risk of making dangerous counterfeits.
UK officials seized more than £9 million in counterfeit and unlicensed medicines in 2021, including erectile dysfunction treatments, sold illegally online.
Around 3.5 million unlicensed erection pills worth more than £10 million were also seized in the UK in 2019.
Dr. Laura Squire, MHRA’s head of healthcare, quality and access, said: ‘This decision is good news for men’s health.
“Men suffering from erectile dysfunction can safely and easily obtain this treatment without a prescription from their local pharmacy, which not only gives them more control over their choices, but also raises awareness of erectile dysfunction.”
She added: ‘Erectile dysfunction can be a debilitating condition, so it’s important that men feel they have prompt access to quality and legitimate care.
“We will continue to listen to and engage with patients to improve access to a wide range of medicines when safe to do so.”