Viagra Does Not Decrease Fertility says Pfizer

Main Category: Fertility
Article Date: 03 Apr 2004 - 0:00 PST

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In response to recent studies indicating that Viagra reduces a man's fertility, Pfizer announced that it does not reduce a man's fertility. Daniel Watts, Pfizer's spokesman told Reuters "There's no evidence that Viagra decreases fertility in men. There have been many clinical trials as well as use by 23 million men in six years of use around the world, and there's been no evidence that Viagra affects fertility, so we don't put a lot of stock in that study."

According to recent research, Viagra makes the male sperm release an enzyme which allows it to break through the egg membrane too early. By the time it reaches the egg it cannot get in - hence, it becomes useless. The research was carried out at Queens University, Belfast, UK. The researchers said they found their findings 'worrying'.

Viagra is a blockbuster selling drug. Last year sales reached $1.9 billion. It is used to treat erectile dysfuntion (impotence - inability or difficulty in getting an erection for men).

The Belfast team said that men intending to start a family should be careful.

The team only looked at Viagra - not its rivals, such as Levitra and Cialis. These drugs work in similar ways to Viagra.

Pfizer said this is only one study, it was not carried out on humans. Pfizer said it was basically a test tube study.

The Pfizer spokesman went on to tell Reuters "Viagra has helped some men actually father children, helped aid in the fertility of men who have severe erectile dysfunction."

Conclusion by Editor of Medical News Today

Maybe more studies are needed - on humans. Anyway, Viagra should only be used with men who have erectile dysfunction problems. Other men who use Viagra are using it as a recreational drug - the drug is not intended as a recreational drug. Very impotent men, as the Pfizer spokesman said, have serious fertility problems anyway - Viagra has helped them have a sex life a again - without a sex life there is no fertility.

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