MEN’S HEALTH WHAT IS VIAGRA CONNECT?
VIAGRA connect is the fi rst medicine for the symptoms of ED to be made available as a Pharmacy (P) medicine in the UK. VIAGRA connect con- tains 50mg of the active ingredient sildenafi l, which belongs to a group of medicines called phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE 5) inhibitors.
WHO IS VIAGRA CONNECT FOR? Viagra Connect is only intended for men 18 years and older, who are ex- periencing ED (ie, diffi culty in getting and/or maintaining an erection satis- factory for sexual performance). This product must not be supplied to men who do not have ED. It is important to confi rm if the man is already receiving treatment for the condition. Men
CASE STUDY 1
Q: How would you respond to the following patient request? Mr P is a man in his mid-50s who is new to your pharmacy. He has walked briskly to the pharmacy as it is raining and asks to see you. The fi rst thing he states is: ‘I get out of breath so quickly these days; I could do with a sit down’. He then goes on to tell you he would like to purchase VIAGRA
connect. How would you handle this conversation? Would you sell VIAGRA connect in this situation?
A: Given that ED can be an early sign of the development of underlying cardiovascular disease, coupled with the fact Mr P is getting out of breath quickly, it is important that he is advised to visit his doctor for a check-up. There is an opportunity to discuss Mr P’s lifestyle and provide him with some information around this, but it is important he is not supplied the product and advised to take further advice from his GP.
CASE STUDY 2
Q: How would you respond to the following patient request? Mr W is back at your pharmacy having purchased VIAGRA connect for the fi rst time a few days ago. He tells you he’s taken a tablet, but it didn’t work and he doesn’t know why. How would you handle this conversation? What advice would you give?
A: For some patients, VIAGRA connect may not work on taking the fi rst few doses. This can be for a variety of reasons. The man may have been out of practice for a while, or may need a higher dose or an alternative treatment.
With Mr W, it is important to establish how he used the product, eg, did he take it on an empty stomach, or after a meal? Did he take it one hour before he planned to have sexual intercourse? Once correct use is established and advised on, it will be important to understand what his situation is. For example, is this a new relationship or an existing one? Was he nervous because he hadn’t had sex for some time?
20 - SCOTTISH PHARMACIST
currently prescribed 50 mg of sildenafi l can be supplied this product if they meet the criteria for pharmacy supply, provided they do not take more than 50 mg daily. If the man is using a different dose of sildenafi l or another ED treatment, he should be referred to his doctor.
VIAGRA CONNECT WILL NOT HELP MEN:
• Who do not have symptoms of ED • Get an instant erection
• Increase sexual desire or improve sexual performance
An extensive education package from Pfi zer has been developed to help pharmacy teams provide health advice to men and help pharmacists benefi t from the reclassifi cation. The programme utilises a variety of methods to accommodate a diverse range of learning styles, including online content, video modules, face- to-face sessions, and regional education meetings.
Since the fi rst regional education meeting in March, the series has reached over 1,500 pharmacy team members across the UK, including sessions in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow, with post-event survey data highlighting a 125% increase in confi dence in supplying the product among participants.
Training and educational resources can be accessed at
www.hcp.viagraconnect.co.uk
REFERENCES
i Kantar TNS 2010 – survey of 1,033 men – men reporting occasional & frequent diffi culty getting / keeping an erectionXxxx
National Records of Scotland: Mid-Year Population Estimates Scotland, Mid 2016
Opinium for Pfi zer: ED market research February 2018
ii Pastuszak AW, Hyman DA, Yadav N, Godoy G, Lipshultz LI, Araujo AB et al. Erectile dysfunction as a marker for cardiovascular disease diagnosis and intervention: a cost analysis. J Sex Med 2015; 12: 975–984
iii Mayo Clinic. Diseases and conditions: Erectile dysfunction. Symptoms/Causes. Available at:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/ diseases-conditions/erectile-dysfunction/ symptoms-causes/syc-20355776.
iv European Association of Urology (EAU). Living with ED. Available at: http://patients.
uroweb.org/i-am-a-urology-patient/erectile- dysfunction/living-with-ed/. Accessed March 2017.
v European Association of Urology (EAU). What is ED?. Available at: http://patients.
uroweb.org/i-am-a-urology-patient/erectile- dysfunction/. Accessed March 2017
vi Schwartz BG, Kloner RA. Cardiovascular Implications of erectile dysfunction. American Heart Association 2011.
vii Kirby M, Jackson, G. Trends in Urology & Men’s Health. Jul/Aug 2011:19–23
viii Jackson G. Erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular disease. Arab Journal of Urology. 2013; 11, 212–216
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