Magic Blue Blog - Viagra News and Commentary

Blinded by Viagra: Man Says He Lost His Sight

2012-12-07T08:50:41Z

An 86-year-old New Yorker is claiming that Viagra caused him to lose his sight, and now he's seeking a whopping $2 million in damages. And he wants Pfizer to stop selling the drug.

According to the New York Post, Anthony Andresakis said he had concerns about the drug prior to taking it, but was assured by the manufacturer that any side effects would clear up shortly. Swallowing his fears, he gulped down the pills.

Now he claims the resulting vision problems, which have persisted since April, have robbed him of "the joy of life." Well, hopefully he got a little joie de vivre in there before the pills wore off and the vision problem kicked in.

Tell me - how many 86-year-olds don't have visual impairment? Chances are the guy just has cataracts.

While he's taken his case to a Manhattan federal court, I don't expect it to get much further - especially since he's chosen to represent himself in the legal proceedings.

Pfizer Chemist Killed in Shocking Murder-Suicide

2012-12-03T06:22:36Z

It's sad and eerie to see such similar headlines so close together. Just a few days ago, NFL player Jovan Belcher fatally shot his girlfriend, then killed himself in front of the Kansas City Chiefs' facility.

Now in Brooklyn, Pfizer chemist Elsie Jones was apparently shot and killed by her husband, Peter Jones, who then committed suicide. The couple had been having marital problems for some time, and Elsie had spoken of moving out of their home and seeking a divorce. A note was found at the scene.

Most coverage of the story emphasizes the fact that Elsie Jones was a Pfizer chemist and worked for the company producing Viagra. Jones' sister reportedly said that she had been with Pfizer for 13 years, almost the whole time the popular erectile dysfunction drug has been available.

It's beside the point, of course, exactly what Jones' position or tenure with Pfizer was or her connection with Viagra. Two people have lost their lives in a violent act. But the press seems to play up the Viagra angle for the sake of an eye-catching headline, and at least one outlet observed the irony that while Jones helped the love lives of many, her own ended tragically.

Locker Room Talk: Viagra in the NFL?

2012-11-29T07:43:54Z

Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall may have let a trade secret slip when he commented about Viagra use by NFL players. Marshall had been asked about players using Adderall, and while he didn't know anything about that, he did offer that he's heard of others taking Viagra to get "a competitive edge".

Marshall added that he didn't need athletic performance enhancers himself because he was "blessed with size". No doubt.

Of course, the use of Viagra to get an edge in sports isn't new. Cyclists have used it, the Yankees' Roger Clemens got caught stashing a GNC bottle full of it in his locker, so why not football players?

Why do athletes take Viagra? It's chief effect is achieved by increasing blood flow to the nether regions, but that same mechanism can also increase circulation to the lungs and muscles, improving blood oxygenation and stamina. Athletic stamina, that is.

Of course, when contacted for comment, a Pfizer spokesperson was quick to say that Viagra is intended only for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

What I wonder is, wouldn't those tight pants get kind of uncomfortable?

Patent Ruling Drives Canadian Viagra Prices Down

2012-11-25T06:47:36Z

After losing a challenge to its Viagra patent in Canadian courts, Pfizer is trying to keep its footing in the marketplace by dropping the price of its product. They really didn't have a choice. With consumers being given the option of purchasing lower cost generic sildenafil, Pfizer couldn't bank on brand loyalty keeping their users from switching to the no-name drug.

Although, I could see the generic version taking a while to catch on, simply because the phrase "generic Viagra" has for so long been a phony promise of sketchy online pharmacies, who in reality are delivering tablets of who knows what, contaminated with heavy metals, paint, and other toxins.

On the other hand, once the corner druggist starts stocking and the dispensing the generic, it's like to inspire more confidence.

For Pfizer, this is just the beginning of the patent expiration cliff - in a few years, things will really start dropping off, and if there are more successful patent challenges, it could come even sooner. How will Pfizer replace the revenue of its magic blue cash cow? Maybe they have a new pharmaceutical star in the wings. Viagra for ladies would do nicely.

V and T - Not a Winning Combo After All?

2012-11-20T07:22:56Z

Both Viagra and testosterone are used to treat men with erectile dysfunction - it seems like if they both work, the might work better together, wouldn't you think? Apparently not so, according to studies of men 40-70 who were suffering some degree of ED. Adding testosterone to a Viagra regimen didn't hurt anything, but it didn't help either.

In this experiment 140 men were prescribed Viagra, took it for three to seven weeks, then were randomly selected to receive either Testim, a testosterone gel, or a placebo gel. Over the next three months, there was no additional sexual improvement in either the testosterone gel or placebo group. No difference in erectile ability and "no difference between the two groups on measures of sexual desire, orgasm and frequency of intercourse."

Interestingly, the men's testosterone levels increased automatically as a result of taking Viagra, but adding more didn't have any apparent effect. Of course, men who have low testosterone need to be treated for reasons other than sexual dysfunction, as low T can lead to fatigue, depression, and bone loss. And yes, boner loss.

Is That a Cucumber in Your Pocket, or Are You Glad to See Me?

2012-11-18T06:07:58Z

For years, PETA has been pushing the vegan agenda with claims that eating meat and animal products can cause impotence. They're putting the message out again, only this time it's a little more in your face:

No meat and two veg for these blokes - just a super-sized helping of veggies, fruits, and more veggies. They've got their produce drawers on full display as they bump and grind, with big swinging bananas, squash and carrots front and center.

The effect is not exactly appetizing, definitely not subtle, and the joke gets old after the first few frames. I'm not sure who this public service announcement is supposed to appeal to. It seems to be aiming at a teenage sensibility, and younger folks rarely have issues with sexual stamina.

Maybe it's worth noting that the ad was produced by a London agency for PETA UK. That would explain the Monty Python-esque quality. I half expected that one old business dude with the enormous gourd to bust out into a silly walk.

Canadian Courts Pulls the Plug on Pfizer Patent

2012-11-13T06:54:52Z

Pfizer's Viagra patent will be ending a little early in at least one country. The Canadian Supreme Court upheld an appeal by Teva Pharmaceuticals, thereby stripping Pfizer of its patent. The patent would have expired in 2014.

The court ruled that Pfizer was too "vague" in filing its original patent, which didn't specify what the drug's active ingredient was, despite the drug maker's awareness that it was sildenafil.

Despite Pfizer's knowledge of the key component in Viagra's special sauce, the original patent covered 260 quintillion compounds. Quintillion - seriously? How does that not cover every freaking thing on the planet? Yeah, that's a little broad.

Teva, who has challenged Pfizer on many occasions, persisted in pursuing the appeal after it was rejected by two lower Canadian courts. However, analysts don't expect the company to see a huge gain following this victory, nor do they think it will have much impact on the U.S. Viagra market.

Whether it will increase tourism in Canada remains to be seen.

New Female Viagra Nothing to Sneeze At

2012-11-08T07:43:45Z

New studies in Canada and Australia are looking for subject to test a trial drug being hailed as "female Viagra". The method of delivery for the testosterone gel is not very sexy - you have to spray it into your nose. It's absorbed in a few minutes and may take effect in a few hours.

I haven't read a clear explanation of how the drug, called Tefina, actually works, except that it has some neurological and vascular components.

We're always hearing some story about companies chasing after the elusive female Viagra, but sex clinicians feel it's not just for profit - there is a real need for something that can address the female sexual dysfunction - low libido, inability to orgasm - which some say up to 43% of women experience to some degree.

So, we'll see. Sticking something in your nose isn't the sexiest kind of foreplay for most, but if the stuff works, we may see a new genre of nasal erotica.

Brad Pitt Working in a Viagra Factory?

2012-10-29T05:39:39Z

It's true, the Hollywood hunk has been on the job in a Viagra facility, but he hasn't changed his career to chemist. He's on set - the former Viagra factory in Kent, England, is being used as a set for Pitt's upcoming film World War Z.

Has the cast or crew been feeling any effects from spending time in a sildenafil saturated environs? Apparently the location has aroused the curiosity of some of the company. A source informed The Sun that "The cast have been opening cupboards looking for leftovers to take home with them.''

If that's what they're after it might be easier to just get a prescription rather than trying to find a souvenir.

An Extreme Way to Spice Up Your Sex Life

2012-10-27T06:10:17Z

Apparently this urban legend has been around for a long time, but it's a new one on me: supposedly, putting hot sauce on or in your butthole will give you an instant and long-lasting erection. Some people swear it's better than Viagra, I think the folks who say that are just sadistic prankers.

Why would it even work? The anus and perineum are rich with nerves that also enervate the genitals, so it's not entirely far-fetched, and a dab of capcaisin would definitely increase blood flow to the region. It would also burn like hell, and probably for a long time.

As many internet commenters have pointed out, spicy food often leaves you with a "ring of fire" when it makes its exit, and that doesn't seem to make anybody hard, so why would applying hot sauce from the outside do anything for you?

Try it at your own risk. On second thought, don't. Just don't.

Female Viagra Roundup, Firsthand

2012-10-18T07:38:37Z

There's no "Viagra for women" - everybody knows that, right? So when we saw the headline "I Took Female Viagra for a Week", it piqued our curiosity. Was this a new Biosante drug trial? And taking it for a week - that must have been tiring.

While there's no pharmaceutical for women that's an analog of Viagra (and not for lack of trying on the drug makers' parts), there are a lot of products passing themselves off as female libido boosters. Most of them are along the same lines as herbal Viagra, supplements that generally enhance blood flow and maybe energy.

Anyway, a female tester over at Vice tried out a bunch of these lady supplements and ranked them, from the worst (a caffeine-laden, migraine inducing cherry flavored shot) to the best (an herbal supplement called Gold Max that apparently turned her into an aggressive sexual beast).

The female Viagra conundrum is that men's dysfunction is most often a mechanical failure, whereas women's sexual dysfunction more often has psychological factors. Perhaps hoping to induce physical arousal so intense that it overwhelms any emotional issues, pharmaceutical manufacturers nevertheless continue to pursue the elusive magic bullet. Wait - isn't that a vibrator? Now that might just work.

U.S. Doesn't Measure Up, and Yes, It Actually Does Matter

2012-10-13T07:04:39Z

A world-wide survey of erect penis length doesn't reflect very well on the U.S.A's collective manhood. The United States ranked somewhere around 18th, in the 25th percentile. Number one: the Republic of the Congo, with a whopping 7.1 inch average. The U.S. average length of just 5.1 inches put it well behind most of Europe, and Australia, and Canada, and...you get the idea.

The surprise "show-ers" in this run-off are Iceland and Sweden. You don't normally associate Nordic countries with big dicks, but maybe it's deceptive because of shrinkage due to the frigid climate.

While the study is interesting, I don't think the data really means that much when applied to the U.S. Our country is such a melting pot, with a population drawn from all races and nationalities, so it's really no surprise that the U.S. penile index is only "average" - we're like the global average.

In other news, the truth has finally come out after years of denial: Size does matter. A report in the Journal of Sexual Medicine reveals that in a survey, a third of women who have primarily vaginal (as opposed to clitoral) orgasms prefer longer-than-average penises. If you're not well endowed, don't worry - two thirds of the women felt it didn't matter. At least, that's what they say...

Young and Addicted - to Viagra?

2012-10-07T07:09:31Z

Thinking of getting an early start with Viagra? You might want to think again, because more reports are surfacing that taking Viagra when you don't really need it can lead to...actually needing it. Like, every time you want to do it.

For a while now, doctors and therapists have been saying they're seeing more and more younger men who have become dependent on ED drugs to perform sexually. They may get their start taking the pills recreationally, or taking them to bolster their confidence if they feel under pressure to perform. Either way, after a while they find themselves unable to do the deed without chemical assistance.

A study of the phenomenon was published earlier this year in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, and now more anecdotal reports are backing it up. Some articles in the British press feature interviews with men who came to Viagra early in life and now find they can't get by without it.

Most of these young men would never have been diagnosed with ED in the first place, so how did they get their hands on the drugs? Some get them the same way you'd get any sort of recreational drug - illegally - and some, especially men in Europe and the UK, simply jaunt over to another country where doctors have more liberal prescribing policies. We hear Spain is the place to go if you're looking for this sort of thing.

What's causing more men to turn to Viagra and similar drugs, at younger ages? Physicians and pundits have singled out a few possible culprits for making men feel so sexually inadequate that they feel they need back up before facing the bedroom. Many point the finger at porn, for setting unrealistic expectations about what male sexual performance looks like and how women are supposed to look or behave as sexual partners; and for making it harder for guys to get off - or even get hard - in a real-life sexual situation.

Women's increasing sexual liberation is cited as well: men may feel threatened or intimidated by women's sexual assertiveness, feeling pressure to have sex sooner in a dating scenario, and feeling that women are - no pun intended - sizing them up based on their sexual performance.

Some health professionals are skeptical about all the fuss over "Viagra addiction", claiming there's really no such thing and the problem isn't as widespread as the press would have you believe. It's perhaps just a matter of semantics - if you want to define addiction in its narrowest sense, these guys are not addicted. However, they have physical and/or psychological dependency on the drugs to help them get it up. And of course the press sensationalizes things, but it does happen.

Point being, if you don't need Viagra to treat erectile dysfunction, you shouldn't take it. Like any chemical crutch, it gets easier and easier to lean on over time, until you can manage without it. And it's a slippery slope from using a pill here and there to improve your performance, to needing the drug to perform at all.

Bengali Doctors Predict Viagra Public Health Crisis

2012-10-01T05:06:00Z

Doctors in Bangladesh are taking an unusual position for the medical profession - asking the government to halt production of a medication. The Bengali government recently granted permission to over a dozen drug manufacturers to produce and market sildenafil citrate - but the Bangladesh Medical Association wants to put the brakes on.

They're concerned that the medication will too easily get into the hands of people who shouldn't be taking it - men with heart disease, diabetes, or other conditions that contraindicate prescribing Viagra. Because in Bangladesh, apparently, you don't need to go to a prescribing physician to get medications; you can get pretty much anything over the counter.

If that were the case, I would think they would be more concerned with other drugs with high potential for abuse, like maybe opiates? But I guess they figure there is going to be a huge demand for Viagra once it becomes available, and everyone is going to run out and get it without really thinking about the consequences.

The government granted the licenses to manufacture the drug in response to reports that the number of erectile dysfunction sufferers had increased, so I guess it's not unreasonable to expect that there might be a rush on the drug once it becomes available. Obviously the standards of care are somewhat different than those in other countries, but maybe they could manage with a public education campaign about the potential dangers of using Viagra.

Save a Tiger - Take Viagra

2012-09-28T05:15:31Z

Here's some good news for an endangered species and wildlife conservationists: the acceptance of Viagra in China as a viable erectile dysfunction treatment is reducing the demand for a traditional ED remedy: tiger penis.

And it's a good thing, too, because there may be as few as 20 tigers in the wild in China, and not all of them have penises. India, a supplier of the Chinese market, has an estimated tiger population of around 1200, which is dwindling due to poachers.

Chinese health care consumers are starting to recognize that exotic remedies like tiger penis and rhino horn, though they may be time-honored, are prohibitively expensive and are likely not so effective as their Western counterparts.

On the other hand, some fear these remedies' steep price tag could make them something of a status symbol among wealthier patients.