This Day in History: 27 March 2020
27 March 1998
22 years ago, today, the FDA approved the use of Viagra, an oral medication to treat impotence. The chemical name for Viagra was sildenafil, an artificial compound that was originally meant to treat high blood pressure, and angina. However, chemists at the Pfizer pharmaceutical company found that the drug had little effect on angina but could induce penile erections within 30-60 minutes. These chemists saw a large economic opportunity, so Pfizer marketed the drug for impotence. Gaining the patent in 1996, it was approved by the FDA in a surprisingly short amount of time for use in treating 'erectile dysfunction'. It is also thought the drug was invented by Peter Dunn and Albert Wood, although this is unconfirmed.
Viagra was a massive success, as in the first year alone, the pills made about a billion dollars in sales. It also had an enormous impact on the public and medical industries. An estimated one in five men in the United Kingdom suffer from erectile dysfunction, and after Viagra's success, competitors began to swarm the market. Despite this, the long-term effects of Viagra on men's health are unclear, but its popularity shows no sign of decreasing.
Want to find out more about the legacy and history of Viagra? Click here for more details.
No comments:
Post a Comment