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.
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Viagra Connect
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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 include the morning after pill, oral antifungal treatments such as those for thrush, and some antibiotics such as an ointment to treat conjunctivitis.
Risks when supplying over the counter
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.
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Should Australia follow the UK lead?
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.