Viagra was developed and is marketed by the Pfizer pharmaceutical company and has been available for use since 1998. The active ingredient is Sildenafil citrate, a PDE5 inhibitor, which increases the flow of blood to the penis to aid men suffering from erectile dysfunction (impotence) achieve and maintain an erection.
Since it was introduced to the market in 1998 the rise of Viagra has been a worldwide phenomenon, helping millions of men suffering from erectile dysfunction and also spawning similar drugs and many third world counterfeit suppliers.
It was the drug that transformed the sexual landscape. Before Viagra, impotence meant shame and often the collapse of all but the most committed relationships. The discovery of its startling ability to restore men’s faded sexual function triggered a social revolution as monumental as that caused by the contraceptive pill.
Ten years on: it’s time to count the cost of the Viagra revolution, The Guardian, 24 February 2008
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