drug
Viagra without a prescription?
Viagra tablets for oral use. photo
© Christophe Gateau/dpa
In the future, the baby blue ones might just be available in pharmacies – if a panel of experts gives the green light. A similar request has been rejected before.
The committee decides on a motion to release the active substance sildenafil in the dosage 25 milligrams for oral use from the prescription requirement. However, the committee had already rejected a similar application in January 2022. At that time it was about the double dose of 50 milligrams.
The decision of the expert committee for prescription requirements at the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) is not legally binding. If the experts are in favor of making sildenafil available for sale in a dosage of 25 milligrams without a prescription, this would go to the Federal Ministry of Health as a recommendation. This is not tied to the recommendation, but the assessment of the expert committee carries weight and is often adopted.
Pros and cons of being prescription-free
Experts see advantages and disadvantages of prescription-free Viagra and other sexual enhancers. On the one hand, this could put a stop to the black market. According to earlier statements by Prof. Frank Sommer, President of the German Society for Men and Health, taking such drugs can be risky. A study that looked at pills that could be ordered freely online found that the majority of them contained ingredients other than those stated. The scientists also found contamination with heavy metals, for example.
On the other hand, the mandatory way of visiting a doctor for a prescription can also help with preventive care. According to Sommer, a vascular erectile dysfunction can be a harbinger of a heart attack or stroke. With an examination of the blood vessels, this can be recognized years in advance and counteracted – but if you don’t even go to the doctor’s office, this precaution is no longer necessary.