The latest attempt to give women who experience a low libido their own version of Viagra has failed.
A Food and Drug Administration panel on Friday shot down Flibanserin, the so-called female Viagra over concerns that the drug didn't adequately improve a women's lagging libido.
Members of the Food and Drug Administration's reproductive drugs panel voted 11-0 that the drug's benefits did not outweigh side effects, including fainting spells, fatigue and depression, MSNBC reports.
“We are disappointed with the advisory committee’s recommendations and will work with the FDA to address questions raised by the advisory committee,” said Christopher Corsico, M.D., M.P.H., U.S. medical director, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., in a press release. “Our ongoing flibanserin clinical trial program demonstrates our continued commitment to women with HSDD [hypoactive sexual desire disorder].”
Although the panel's decision isn't final, the FDA usually follows the panel's recommendation, CNN reported. The FDA will make its final decision in coming months.
And while flibanserin wasn't recommended for approval for this round, other drug companies such as BioSante Pharmaceuticals out of Illinois are creating drugs such as Libigel. Libigel is currently in clinical trials and the company is hoping to submit an application by the end of 2011.
Sources: www.CNN.com
www.msnbc.com
Add a Comment6 Comments
The idea is that the benefits of a drug should outweigh the adverse effects. I too, understand the need to have a safe product that can increase female libido. I use a product that my client produces called Zestra. It is an all natural female arousal oil that outstandingly increases my desire and sex drive.
July 22, 2010 - 10:33amThis Comment
your surprised at the disappointment? really? quadkery. i dont want deadly side effects either but viagra has effects also. alot of medications have side effects. that is why a physician monitors your health and you get regular check ups. you probably dont understand the frustration and the way this effects relationships because you dont have the problem. if you ever do, and i hope not, you will then be begging for someone or something to help you. maybe you dont really care to have sex, thats your decision, but for those of us women who want to have a satisfying sex life, we would like some hope and more research for something to help. i am surprised as well for all the women not supporting women in this. no one wants a medication that will cause bad side effects but i dont think the fda is really interested in this condition in women. everyday there are more and more ed drugs tested and approved. while they are fine tuning these medications for men, the researchers and fda, in my opinion are ignoring us.
July 16, 2010 - 7:14amThis Comment
Somehow I find the rejection a good thing and I am quite surprised at the disappointment others feel. I'd never want to use a pill that has more side effects than benefits and FDA in a sense told them "make a good product".
July 7, 2010 - 3:35amIt means FDA is actually controlling quality and not letting quackery on the market.
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thank you Dr. DePree,
its nice to see female physicians who are supporting us. unfortunatly for me, i dont have low libido, just the inablity to have an orgasm and there is nothing that i know of on the horizon for that. many researchers are male. hence viagra, what, 11 years ago? and nothing for females and their is no interest it seems. even when something is tested or researched the fda will shoot it down anyway. we are not looked at as sexual beings only as sexual OBJECTS in any society. thanks again to M.D.s who are trying to speak out for us.
June 25, 2010 - 7:48amThis Comment
Taking Estratest, as my harmone replacement therapy, completely restored my sexual function.
June 25, 2010 - 4:12amThis Comment
I too am disappointed in the panel’s rejection. Maybe Flibanserin as a treatment for Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) isn’t the perfect tool for every woman experiencing depleted sexual desire. But for some women, some of the time, clearly it helps. Help begets hope, and as a doctor, I’ll tell you that hope is as important as any pill in restoring good health.
June 24, 2010 - 2:59pmI have had women in my office, losing sleep, depressed, miserable because the lack of intimacy where it is wanted often has a domino effect, destroying communication, trust, a couple, a family. For these women, overcoming our biological responses to stress is what they want and need. As a doctor, I would like to be able to help them.
Dr. Barb DePree, MD
MiddlesexMD.com
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