Pfizer, the company that developed the phosphodiesterase inhibitor sildenafil (Viagra), reported last week that efficacy results in women with what has been termed female sexual arousal disorder had been inconclusive and would not support filing for regulatory approval to use the drug in this indication.

In a statement, Pfizer said that several large scale, placebo controlled studies including about 3000 women with female sexual arousal disorder showed inconclusive results on the efficacy of sildenafil (www.pfizer.com). The disorder is defined by the American Foundation for Urological Diseases as distress caused by a persistent inability to attain or maintain sexual excitement.

Dr Joe Feczko, president of worldwide development with the company, said in the statement: “FSAD [female sexual arousal disorder] …