Viagra patent expires in China – Drug makers scramble to release cheap generics

The quality of these new products may be open to question, but the recent expiry of the Chinese patent for erectile dysfunction (ED) drug Viagra has led to a rush of pharmaceutical companies applying to make their own cheaper generic version of Pfizer’s hugely popular anti-impotence treatment for release in China.

It was recently disclosed that the Viagra patent had expired in China on May 12, almost a year after the UK patent had similarly ended for the ‘little blue pill’, and something which led to Medical Specialists™ Pharmacy offering fantastic bargains on UK-produced inexpensive generic versions of Viagra.

For example, Sildenafil Teva and Sildenafil Actavis were initially introduced into Medical Specialists’™ extensive ED medication range, before even cheaper generic sildenafil was then joined with these last month and resulting in a surge in demand.

It is believed that over a dozen drug makers in China have applied to the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) to try and have their own generic versions of Viagra approved for release, with sources claiming many of these actually first began the process around two years ago.

The stigma around erectile dysfunction has been slowly eroded in the 16 years since Pfizer’s Viagra burst onto the scene and more men are now willing to come forward to trusted sources like Medical Specialists™ and seek help. Finally, ED is widely accepted as a genuine health problem that can lead to catastrophic consequences, such as loss of self-esteem, anxiety and even relationship difficulties.
In China alone, the market for ED drugs is now worth an estimated 60 billion Yuan (roughly £5.65 billion) each year.

Also available in China are two of the other most commonly prescribed ED medications – Eli Lilly’s Cialis and Bayer’s Levitra, but Viagra has proved to be the most popular, comprising of over half (58%) of the total sales for ED drugs across 27 major cities in the country last year.

Pfizer China have confirmed they have no immediate plans to release a low-cost version of Viagra regardless of the increase in competition they face.

“For any research-based drug makers, the expiration of a drug patent is a common happening and does not means the end of the world for a product,” Xi Qing, communications director at Pfizer China, said, clearly confident about Viagra keeping a good share of the market in the country.

However, In China about 90% of drugs are generic and it is a market expected to reach 500 billion Yuan by next year. Back in 2011 Pfizer also lost the patent for its money making blockbuster drug Lipitor, which is a commonly prescribed medication for the treatment of high cholesterol.

Lipitor (atorvastatin) brought in staggering revenues for Pfizer that totalled billions of dollars, but that all changed when the patent expired and sales of the branded drug took a serious plunge, and a similar scenario could now happen for Viagra in China.

Men are warned: buying fake Viagra poses serious health risks

As we have reported in the past here at Medical Specialists, the problem of fake, or so called generic Viagra sold online, continues to pose serious health risks to men worldwide. In Australia analysis of pills from 22 different websites, claiming to sell drugs such as Viagra and Cialis, found 77 per cent of samples were fake and contained only 30 to 50 percent of the active ingredient advertised on the label, the Australian reported.

According to Dr Stephen Ruthven, president of the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand, many of the counterfeit drugs also contained undeclared substances such as gypsum, found in fertiliser, commercial paint and printer ink.
The study, by San Diego Sexual Medicine’s Dr Irwin Goldstein, suggested that the fakes could also contain other harmful ingredients including antihypertensive medications. Dr Ruthven said, “Self medication of this kind carried very real health risks. Many people simply assume they are buying the real product, when in fact many online purchases from international sites are illegal counterfeits.”

The study comes after Australia’s drug regulator last week, warned men not to buy or consume two products, claiming to contain 100 per cent herbal ingredients, Ultra Men for Men and Rock Hard for Men. An investigation by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) found the products contained two undeclared prescription substances, tadalafil and glibenclamide.

Tadalafil is the active ingredient in Cialis, a prescription-only erectile dysfunction product, and glibenclamide is used to control blood glucose levels. The TGA said the tablets, which a number of Australians have bought online, had not been assessed for quality, safety and efficacy. The place of manufacture was also not approved by the regulator. The commercial supply of the supplements in Australia is illegal. The TGA warned consumers to be extremely cautious when buying medicines from unknown international internet sites. The worldwide sales of fake drugs in 2010 were estimated to be about $73 million.

Dr Ruthven said, “Erectile dysfunction drugs such as Viagra and Cialis targeted vulnerable men. Men often feel embarrassed about discussing the condition with doctors, but it is important to do so to properly diagnose the problem, and rule out other health risks, including metabolic problems and heart disease.”

The TGA advised consumers to be extremely cautious when buying medicines from unknown international internet sites. This is advice that here at Medical Specialists we strongly agree with, people looking to buy medication for erectile dysfunction should only obtain it from registered pharmacies that dispense genuine Pfizer Viagra or Lilly Cialis, display the necessary credentials such as the GPhC (General Pharmaceutical Council) green logo along with the registration number and that offer an online consultation with a doctor to ensure the medication is both right and safe for you.

Condom sales in Georgia on the Rise

Data from the National Statistics Office of Georgia has highlighted a 29% increase in the total amount of investment in the import of condoms from $350,000 to $450,000 in 2010 from the same period in 2009.

Viagra, the erectile dysfunction treatment drug, has also seen an increase in sales. GPC, a pharmaceutical company in Georgia, says that it sells on average 200 packets of Viagra a month. However, the company that produces Viagra, Pfizer, will be facing competition from the Georgian company GM Pharmaceuticals who have recently started to produce a generic version of Viagra, simply called ‘Sildenafil’. Sildenafil Citrate is the active ingredient in Viagra.

The Sexologist Gia Beorishvili says that the number of his male patients is permanently increasing although, he still believes that the prevailaing Georgian mentality is to avoid trips to the sexologist in order to seek help with their sex life. However, compared to 10-15 ago the use of Sildenafil Citrate is much greater, presumably as more people become better educated about the treatments available for erectile dysfunction.

Beorishvili adds, “The experience showed that Viagra is a very efficient medicine. That’s why I regularly prescribe Viagra or other substitute medicines for treatment of my patients who have the need for it.”