A company reintroduces a pill that was approved in 2015 as a drug for women whose loss of sexual appetite has already reached a distressing level.
Sprout Pharmaceuticals Inc. is reintroducing Addyi, a medication that is said to increase women's libido. The reentry price is set at $400, which is 50 percent lower than its original pricing of $800.
The company also makes it available through a telehealth selling method or an online prescription service, where doctors can diagnose potential patients and prescribe the pill online. Women would be able to order the pill through the company's website and receive their medications by mail.
Addyi was sold to another company after its approval in 2015 but its sales reportedly became problematic. Late last year, Sprout bought it back and has since returned under its original owner Cindy Eckert.
'Female Viagra' Is Back
Addyi became popular because people referred to it as the female version of men's Viagra. However, there is a big difference and significant distinction between the two drugs.
Viagra targets men's physiological functions to improve their erection. The drug stimulates the proper blood flow into the men's genitals.
On the other hand, Addyi targets women's neurological functions to improve their desire for sex. The drug stimulates the neurotransmitters and chemicals in the brains of women to increase their sexual appetite.
While Viagra delivers the desired result after 30 to 60 minutes of taking the tablet, it would take four to six weeks of ingesting Addyi nightly, prior sleeping, before the drug takes effect.
FDA On Addyi
Addyi had been rejected twice by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration prior its official approval in 2015. The drug was accepted as a treatment for a specific medical condition known as hypoactive sexual desire disorder. HSDD affects approximately one-third of adult women in the United States.
In its approval, FDA emphasized that the drug should only be taken by women whose loss of sexual appetite has already reached a point wherein the couples already feel tormented. This means that the loss of interest in sex has already become chronic or has extended for several months.
Addyi is not prescribed for women who are losing their libidos because of problems in the relationship or merely because of side effects from other medications they're taking.
The FDA has also been strict in warning patients that they should not drink alcohol while taking the medication. In fact, the FDA requires women patients to sign a contract acknowledging the dangers of consuming alcohol concurrently with Addyi.
Possible Side Effects
The most common side effects of Addyi are dizziness, feeling too sleepy, nausea, fatigue, insomnia, and dry mouth.
Patients who consume alcohol while taking the medication will have an increased risk of experiencing extreme low blood pressure and fainting. The same goes for those who have liver problems.
