Viagra: Misuse

(asked on 3rd April 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the trends in the level of the use of Sildenafil for social use; and what safeguards are in place to prevent the sale of Sildenafil over the counter to consumers without a medical need.


Answered by
Jackie Doyle-Price Portrait
Jackie Doyle-Price
This question was answered on 10th April 2019

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has not undertaken an assessment of the trends in the level of the use of sildenafil for social use.

There are legal controls on the sale of medicines over-the-counter and those classified as pharmacy only medicines which may only be sold or supplied by or under the supervision of a pharmacist on registered pharmacy premises. This applies equally to online sales.

Risk minimisation measures have been put in place to support the safe supply of sildenafil over the counter to adult men over 18 with erectile dysfunction. These include restricting the sale from pharmacies by or under the supervision of a pharmacist and providing pharmacy training support materials and a checklist for use in pharmacies when supplying the product.

A study is being undertaken to measure whether the over-the-counter sildenafil product is supplied appropriately in line with the authorised indication and conditions for safe use.

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