It's only our imagination, but it does often seem these days like every other commercial on TV is for a drug offering men improved bedroom performance. These ads can be a little uncomfortable, especially when the kids ask, "What's erectile dysfunction?"
But prepare for more, because the market for pharmaceutically enhanced fun is booming. More sex drugs are on the way, and so-called Viagra for women isn't far off.
The reason is simple: Americans are willing to pay up for added pleasure. Viagra and its two big competitors, Cialis and Levitra, accounted for $4 billion in sales last year, and the number keeps rising. That's why the competition is so fierce.
Other drugs in sight include:
- At least two new types of erection pills similar to Levitra, Cialis and Viagra, as if we needed more commercials of old guys with electric guitars (yes, we get the symbolism).
- Two new treatments for premature ejaculation, said to afflict 30% of men. A leading contender here is an antidepressant that appears to help resolve the problem with a single dose a few hours before sex, as opposed to regular daily doses.
- Two types of "female Viagra," in gel and mist form, designed to heighten sexual desire in women by increasing testosterone.
- Generic versions of Viagra, which goes off patent by 2012, an event sure to inspire other drug-makers to launch their own, cheaper versions of "Vitamin V."
Big demand
If the current trends hold, we can expect strong demand for any new bedroom drugs that make it to market. Global sales have surged from virtually zero a dozen years ago and have shown little sign of slowing down even as consumers struggled during the recession. (Insurance generally doesn't cover these drugs.) Consider:- Sales of Viagra, the magic blue pill from Pfizer (PFE, news, msgs) that started the trend, were up 7% last year in the United States. Overall sales were $1.9 billion.
- Cialis sales shot up 16% in the U.S. last year and 26% outside the U.S., to hit $1.56 billion in overall sales. Eli Lilly's (LLY, news, msgs) drug holds second place in the U.S. to Viagra and has already passed it in Europe. Lilly attributes this to several dosage options, including a daily dose that seems to help men be ready whenever the moment is right and not just after popping a pill. Single-shot Cialis pills last much longer than the two others -- up to 36 hours (compared with four to five hours for Viagra and Levitra), hence "the weekend pill" nickname.
- Levitra sales advanced 25% for GlaxoSmithKline (GSK, news, msgs) last year -- almost all of that growth was in the U.S. And sales of the drug were up 4.5% for Bayer Group, which handles most international sales, to a combined $565 million.
The popularity of these drugs should come as little surprise, because erectile dysfunction is becoming more prevalent as boomers age. The problem affects an estimated 30 million men in the U.S. These have also become popular "recreational drugs" among younger people and are used by athletes to help build endurance or counteract impotence, which can be a side effect of testosterone injections.
These pills are popped despite the risks. In rare but serious cases, they cause vision and hearing loss. More common side effects include headache and nausea. Then there's the problematic erection "lasting longer than four hours," which could elicit an embarrassing trip to an emergency room.
These drugs can also create psychological minefields in troubled relationships, cautions sexologist Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the author of "Sex for Dummies." She says it's key for men to discuss the use of these drugs with partners before popping the pills.
"Otherwise, a husband comes home with an erection from the floor to the ceiling and says, 'Hop into bed,'" says Dr. Ruth. If he has been remiss in the relationship, his partner won't be impressed. "You know what that wife is going to tell him to do with that erection," Dr. Ruth says.
She has the same concerns about female Viagra. "Suppose there are issues in the relationship, the mother-in-law or money, and he doesn't feel as horny as she does. Big problem."
Gilda Carle, a psychotherapist and relationship coach, says couples should strongly consider whether relationship issues are at the heart of performance problems before popping pills. "So many times people think it is a medical issue, and when they get examined they find it is not medical at all, but psychological," Carle says.
Continued: No joy for Big Pharma