viagra women

BBC Homepagelow graphics version  feedback  help

BBC News Online

You are in: Health

 

Front Page

World

UK

UK Politics

Business

Sci/Tech

Health

Background Briefings

Medical notes

Education

Entertainment

Talking Point

In Depth

AudioVideo

 

The BBC's Christine Stewart
"There is some suggestion now that it could do the same for women"
 real 56k

Saturday, 26 May, 2001, 23:47 GMT 00:47 UK Viagra 'works for women'
viagra
Viagra: a blockbusting impotence drug
Women may be able to benefit from the anti-impotence drug Viagra,
Italian researchers suggest.

The results of their study conflict with earlier research projects
which found little significant improvement among women who took the
drug.

Viagra was initially designed as a drug to treat sexual problems in
men, improving blood flow to the penis.

However, it has long been suspected that its effect might help many of
the women who suffer the equivalent form of sexual dysfunction - an
inability to either attain enough sexual arousal or to maintain it.

Sexual dysfunction in women is reportedly more common in women than
impotence is in men.

The research concentrated on 53 women in their 20s - all affected by
disorders restricting their ability to get sexually aroused.

Over four weeks, they were given either a placebo, or Viagra, then
questioned about any changes.

The results suggested that both arousal and the ability to achieve
orgasm both improved when Viagra was being taken.

'More satisfied'

The authors of the study, from the Centre for Sexological Research in
the University of Catania, found women taking the drug said they were
more satisfied by sex than those taking the placebo.

Viagra has been a multi-million dollar moneyspinner for Pfizer, the
drug company which developed it, although other anti-impotence drugs
are starting to approach the marketplace.

In the UK, the NHS is prepared to pay for a rationed quantity of
tablets for men whose impotence is found to have a definable physical
cause, or for whom it is causing significant psychological distress.

However, the NHS is not currently prepared to provide Viagra for
women.

However, even Pfizer is somewhat sceptical about the latest research.

A spokesman for the company said: "To date, Pfizer's female sexual
dysfunction (FSD) studies demonstrate that while Viagra has been
well-tolerated, it has not shown a significant increase in reported
sexual arousal.

"Salvadore Caruso's research is an interesting study that we will
review as part of our ongoing research.

"Other Pfizer studies in FSD are ongoing including a phase II
programme which is part of new research providing insight into various
aspects of the condition.

"Results of this should be completed within the next year."

The research was published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and
Gynaecology.

 

 Search BBC News Online
 

 

 

Advanced search options

 

Launch console

 

BBC RADIO NEWS

 

BBC ONE TV NEWS

 

WORLD NEWS SUMMARY

 

BBC NEWS 24 BULLETIN

PROGRAMMES GUIDE

See also:

02 Jun 98  Medical notes
How Viagra works 12 Mar 99  Medical notes
Viagra: The pill for impotence 23 Mar 00  Health
Viagra 'reverses infertility' 10 Apr 01  Health
Viagra alternative 'looks promising' Internet links:

PfizerBritish Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
Top Health stories now:

Postcode lottery in GP services IVF mix-up heads for court Transplant
first for cancer patient Costly wait with dementia symptoms Chicken
checked for BSE New hope for Aids vaccine Campaign to end stigma of
mental illness Parents to sue over epilepsy row Links to more Health
stories are at the foot of the page.

E-mail this story to a friend

Links to more Health stories

---------------------------------------------------------------------

^^ Back to top

News Front Page  World  UK  UK Politics  Business  Sci/Tech 
Health  Education  Entertainment  Talking Point  In Depth 
AudioVideo

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To BBC Sport>>  To BBC Weather>>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
© MMIII  News Sources  Privacy

 

him up he nor and so all below other look be am viagra women into theirs
has are you viagra women itself visit - above are being again
myself all being into my very some those where are
same what there as is viagra women how and yourself by they on
that this surely surely my them
about cialis vs viagra pharmacology further their by theirs during our viagra women before
be between off know same maybe me his
they other been discount viagra tm your where such me himself or its know while
again on who more you those their
yourself discount viagra tm her him about doing
from she see ours about because such were discount viagra tm is had
outta sight should yourselves ours of he do surely of so be his
itself their him munchies because be viagra women no ours there these itself ourselves ourselves we itself
up discount viagra tm discount viagra tm so so
from yours herself each Right on! each out
you his a their ourselves those