Viagra faces stiff competition

WSOC ^

[Stew Padasso]

Watch Out, Viagra: FDA Approves Similar Drug Levitra Approved By 50 Countries

UPDATED: 10:08 a.m. EDT August 20, 2003

WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration has approved the sale of a second pill to treat erectile dysfunction.

It's called Levitra and it's in the same family as Viagra. Both work by targeting an enzyme important for maintaining an erection.

"In clinical trials, Levitra was shown to work quickly. More importantly, Levitra was shown to improve the sexual response for the majority of men the first time they took it, and it worked consistently over time," said Dr. Myron Murdock, a Levitra researcher.

Its appearance in pharmacies in the coming weeks is expected to spark a fierce battle in the billion-dollar-plus impotence market.

Roughly 30 million American men have some degree of impotence, but most do not seek medical therapy.

Levitra, produced by Bayer, has recently been selling in Europe and has been approved by 50 countries, according to the company. A third impotence pill -- Cialis -- has also won European approval and is expected to be in U.S. pharmacies later this year.

Like Viagra, Levitra is available only by prescription. It can be taken up to once a day, and it should not be prescribed to men who take nitrate-containing drugs or alpha blockers, which are sometimes prescribed for high blood pressure or prostate symptoms.

[Protagoras]

Viagra pills are $10. Most who use them get the 100mg tabs and cut them into fours since the 25mg cost the same.

Even at $ 3 these pills are too expensive.

People I know who use them would pay twice that to be able to have a normal sex life again.

[Stew Padasso]

"Even at $ 3 these pills are too expensive.'

Spoken like somebody who has their head in the clouds.

I wonder if this cost will be picked up as a part of the prescription drug plan.

[Stew Padasso]

"Even at $ 3 these pills are too expensive.'

Spoken like somebody who has their head in the clouds.

I wonder if this cost will be picked up as a part of the prescription drug plan.

[vin-one]

LOL

HARD to tell a good lawyer from a richard cranium

[Scott from the Left Coast]

This reminds me of a headline in a Canadian paper over an article about the working day of porn movie producers and actors in Canada: "Porn Stars: Not just a bunch of working stiffs."

[ko_kyi]

How about nonturgidol

[VoiceOfBruck]

"Doctor, I'd like a quarter dose of viagra."

"Why? That small a dose won't do you any good."

"I just want to get it out there far enough so I don't pee on my shoes!"

[Lazamataz]

How about nonturgidol

Bonertronium?

[Protagoras]

"I just want to get it out there far enough so I don't pee on my shoes!"

Good one, LOL

I wish I could see my shoes.

[adx]

Mycoxafalin?

[ko_kyi]

mistifferine?

[Lazamataz]

Mydikain?

[ko_kyi]

notlimpetol?

[Lazamataz]

Or even better: Mydikaint.

[Redwood71]

"Most who use them get the 100mg tabs and cut them into fours"

---

Which part gets hard?

[Lazamataz]

Throbitiz?

[VoiceOfBruck]

Did you hear about the guy who died after taking viagra? They had to turn him sideways to shut the coffin!

[ko_kyi]

midyxaflaccid

[Redwood71]

How about a good old "woody?"

[Pahuanui]

Erectoral?