We all know about the little blue pill -- Viagra -- and its copycats because we’re inundated with their commercials. You’d almost think every man with a bit of gray suffers from erectile dysfunction. Viagra was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in March, 1998 and that first year alone, sales reached $1 billion.
Sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, works by blocking an enzyme that acts as an inhibitor of blood flow. With Viagra, there is an increase in blood flow to the genital areas, which helps treat erectile dysfunction or impotence.
But what a little pink pill? After Viagra improved sex for millions of men, researchers started thinking about a female equivalent to aid women with sexual dysfunction or lack of desire.
While many argue women’s sexual problems are too complex to be labeled simply as dysfunction, there’s no arguing an estimated $2 to $3 billion will be spent within the next ten years on products aimed at improving women’s sex lives. It’s no wonder pharmaceutical companies are on the hunt for such a product.
There has been headway in this research and several companies claim their product cures what ails the female libido but nothing yet quite matches the wonder drug (and cash cow) Viagra.
The Viagra research team attempted to find a link between arousal in women and pelvic blood flow. However, initial trials proved disappointing. The drug did enhance engorgement of vaginal tissue, but that extra bit of pelvic swelling did nothing to amplify women’s desire for or enjoyment of sex.
Another drug that got people talking was Bremelanotide. It was first developed as a potential tanning agent to help prevent skin cancer. But when male college students, participating in early tests, reported the drug sometimes gave them erections researchers began exploring Bremelanotide as a treatment for female sexual disorder. This was temporarily discontinued in 2008, after concerns about adverse side effects of increased blood pressure.
For a while, many were optimistic about Intrinsa, a testosterone patch that delivers little doses of the sex hormone through the skin. While Intrinsa is sold in Europe, the FDA refused to approve it, saying its medical risks outweigh whatever modest and spotty benefits it might offer.
Now hope rests on Flibanserin. The drug was originally developed as an antidepressant but early tests found an interesting side effect, improved sexual desire in women. In mid-June, the FDA will decide if Flibanserin gets the green light for marketing and sale.
So now we wait to see if Flibanserin emerges as both the female Viagra and financial blockbuster.
Stacy Lloyd is a writer and video producer in Phoenix, Arizona. A former television news journalist, she covered stories around the world. Currently, she produces corporate and non-profit videos and broadcast programming.