A new option for erectile dysfunction (ED) sufferers will soon be hitting store shelves, no prescription needed.
Drug company Futura Medical announced the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of topical treatment Eroxon for over-the-counter use on Monday, calling it the first of its kind offered without a prescription.
The medication, which is already commercially available in the UK and Belgium, is apparently quick to use and relatively fast-acting, according to the Eroxon website, which says application takes only 15 second. An erection is usually achieved in a matter of 10 minutes, as compared to Viagra’s 30-minute to one-hour window, and works by stimulating nerve endings, prompting dilation of blood vessels and increasing blood flow to the penis. The effects last long enough to achieve sex in around 65% of people and subside on their own after completion.
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The little blue pill market
Futura Medical’s Chief Executive Officer, James Barder, said in Monday’s announcement that the company is working on the expansion of Eroxon into countries around the world including Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America and the Middle East. However, the U.S. may prove a high-demand market and high-reward market for the drug in and of itself.
Harvard Health reports that ED effects roughly 30 million men in the U.S. every year, with nearly 50% of American men over the age of 75 experiencing issues getting and maintaining an erection. Though ED can be caused by a variety of factors, including depression, obesity, disease, high blood pressure, tobacco and drug use, the most common source is clogged arteries, with one in three men who reporting experiencing ED linking the symptoms to underlying cardiovascular disease.
With the most popular and well-known ED treatment, sildenafil citrate pills known by the brand name Viagra, reaching its 25-year anniversary, the “one-of-a-kind” topical alternative promises some disruption in the “little blue pill” market.
Though a Futura Medical spokesperson told CNN they are unsure what the price will be when the drug rolls into the U.S. market, a four pack of single-use tubes currently goes for £24.99 in the UK ($31.49 USD). Futura Medical has not yet specified when American consumers can expect to see the boxes in pharmacies and stores.