Viagra unlikely to be prescribed by GPs in Britain
BMJ 1998; 317 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.317.7153.234b (Published 25 July 1998) Cite this as: BMJ 1998;317:234
All rapid responses
Rapid responses are electronic comments to the editor. They enable our users to debate issues raised in articles published on bmj.com. A rapid response is first posted online. If you need the URL (web address) of an individual response, simply click on the response headline and copy the URL from the browser window. A proportion of responses will, after editing, be published online and in the print journal as letters, which are indexed in PubMed. Rapid responses are not indexed in PubMed and they are not journal articles. The BMJ reserves the right to remove responses which are being wilfully misrepresented as published articles or when it is brought to our attention that a response spreads misinformation.
From March 2022, the word limit for rapid responses will be 600 words not including references and author details. We will no longer post responses that exceed this limit.
The word limit for letters selected from posted responses remains 300 words.
I find the Government's attitude ridiculous. We have been prescribing Viagra with care and competence since its release. When will politicians stop keeping their noses out of medical practice. I think that the public will force the arrogant politicians back on this one. They just don't understand that after food and shelter sexual intercourse is the next best pleasure in life.
Competing interests: No competing interests
The government is clearly worried about the costs of prescribing Viagra. If the health service can't afford it, the people should be honestly told so. Placing bureaucratic hurdles in the prescribing process will please neither the patient nor his doctor, and is unlikely to save money.
Impotence is not just a mechanical problem. It is experienced by a complex individual with psychological needs and often physical illness. The patient's own GP is clearly in a better position to judge the indications and risks, and better able to follow up both the treatment of impotence andother health problems that may surface during the process.
Can the overworked urological registrar, working from a referral that is a year or two old, offer the same quality of service?
The role of the hospital specialist should be as always to keep his GP colleagues well informed, and to offer a speedy second opinion when so required. The best way to save money in the Health Service is to ensure that care is given as near the patient as possible. If there is no money to pay for Viagra then let the patient pay for the pills, which may provide more fun and exercise than an evening at the cinema, at lesser cost.
Competing interests: No competing interests
GP's first !
24-07-98
Impotence clinics in different departments (Endocrine, Psychiatry and Urology) should handle only patients who fail to respond to Viagra. GP's can ask for opinion if worried of side effects - ie - patients with eye disease or cardiovasculr problems. Also, if patient does not respond to max. dose of Viagra or already has major psych. problems or endocrine problems.
Competing interests: No competing interests