Viagra for women is one step closer to being made readily available to American women looking for a pill to boost their libido, as the women’s Viagra known as Flibanserin received the backing of an FDA panel of experts on Thursday.
The little pink pill, or “female Viagra” as it’s been called, was recommended by the panel of Food and Drug Administration experts in an 18-6 vote which comes after two prior failed attempts by the drug’s owner, North Carolina-based Sprout Pharmaceuticals, to win the committee’s approval. Prior failures have been attributed to concerns regarding the drug’s risks and efficacy.
While a final decision has yet to be made, the Sydney Morning Herald reports that the panel’s recommendation will likely be taken into careful consideration by FDA Commissioner Stephen Ostroff when he decides whether to approve the 100-milligram pill for sale in the United States. The final decision will be made in the upcoming months.
According to a report on CNN, the FDA’s move to recommend the desire-boosting pill which they’re rejected twice before comes after an organization launched a pressure campaign intended to push the FDA to approve the drug, citing gender bias as the reason why women don’t have access to the pill.
The preliminary findings of a study conducted by UCLA Medical Center’s Dr. Jennifer Berman and Northwestern University’s Laura Berman has found that Viagra works for women, ABC News reported.
While critics continue to urge the FDA to reject the drug in light of what they claim to be side effects and less than compelling results, supporters of the drug argue that any improvements, even small ones, are important to patients.
What are your thoughts on female Viagra?
