Controversy Surrounding New Female Viagra

A controversial drug geared towards enhancing female sexual desire was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration after being rejected twice. The drug, which is known as flibranserin, was produced by Sprout Pharmaceuticals and is geared towards treatment of low sexual desire in women. The company manufactured the drug on the premise that low sexual desire in women has seemingly been ignored while there are 24 drugs for men for either erectile dysfunction or testosterone replacement (Thacker, 2014). However, the drug has remained controversial and attracted divergent opinions, especially with regards to its potential risks and benefits. As a result, providing recommendation to potential patients inquiring about the drug requires a critical evaluation of these arguments as well as potential risks and benefits based on scientific evidence.

Main Points from Both Sides of the Argument
One of the major arguments that has been used to support the drug is the fact that low sexual desire in women has been ignored by the medical field while men have a variety of drugs for treatment of erectile dysfunction or testosterone replacement. Currently, there are no drugs for common sexual dysfunction forms in women, which makes flibranserin a necessity. Secondly, proponents support the drug on the basis of its potential impact in treating hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), a common sexual dysfunction condition in women. They argue that the drug has the potential to jolt neurotransmitters to revive the flagging flames of sexual desire in a woman (Schulte, 2015).
However, those opposed to the drug argue that hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is a creation of the drug industry. They state that low sexual desire is basically mismatched sex drives whose solution is not a drug. Secondly, they contend that the creation of this drug is an attempt to medicalize the female body (Thacker, 2014). Third, flibranserin has been opposed on the premise that its creation is for commercial purposes rather than any medical benefits. For instance, the manufacturer of flibranserin, Sprout Pharmaceuticals, recently announced that it’s being sold to Valeant for $1 billion (Watching the Hawks RT, 2015). Therefore, this drug is seen as an attempt by the manufacturer to increase its profits through aggressive marketing.
Potential Benefits and Risks
The potential benefit of flibranserin is bumping neurotransmitters to revive the flagging flames of sexual desires in a woman (Schulte, 2015). Unlike Viagra that enhances blood flow to the genitals, this drug works on the brain to rekindle a woman’s sexual desire. Secondly, the drug has the potential benefit of boosting dopamine and inhibiting serotonin, which helps to enhance sexual desire. However, there are some risks associated with this drug, particularly the side effects of testosterone treatments for women. Some of these potential risks include likelihood of hypersexuality, hypertension, CNS depression, and syncope.
Recommendation to Potential Patients
In light of the controversy surrounding this drug, its increasing important for potential patients to approach it with caution. Based on scientific evidence from the literature, hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is yet to be established as a medical condition. From the explanations provided by the manufacturer, Sprout Pharmaceuticals, the drug seems more like an anti-depressant rather than Viagra. While its relatively unclear how this drug works, it seems to address psychological elements that contribute to low sexual desire rather than improving blood flow to the genitals like Viagra as shown in its clinical trials. Therefore, for potential patients inquiring about this drug, flibranserin (or Addyi as its commonly known) is a brain drug that may not work very well in improving sexual desire in a woman.
References
Thacker, P.D. (2014, April). How to Handle FDA Rejection. Retrieved August 2, 2017, from http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2014/04/female_viagra_and_the_fda_the_agency_s_rejection_of_flibanserin_has_nothing.html
Schulte, B. (2015, October 15). The First ‘Female Viagra’ is Here. Who Wants It? The Washington Post. Retrieved August 2, 2017, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/female-viagra-is-here-who-wants-it/2015/10/14/5ff6cb0a-50dd-11e5-933e-7d06c647a395_story.html?utm_term=.f8ff3c0b355d
[Watching the Hawks RT]. (2015, August 20). The Misinformation Behind Female Viagra with Dr. Leonore Tiefer [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFG2lEnpmBE&feature=youtu.be