Viagra Takes Biggest Slice of Erectile Dysfunction Therapy Market

Data collected by health care consultants Scott-Levin (Newtown, PA) revealed that in the past 12 months (ending April, 1998), 3 million patients have visited office-based physicians to be treated for erectile dysfunction, an increase of 34% over the previous year.

45% of these patients requested drug therapy, and physicians agreed to the demands 75% of the time. Viagra was the brand-name drug most often requested, followed by Muse and Caverject.

Scott-Levin's Source Prescription Audit reports that during its first month of availability, Viagra garnered 95% of the new prescriptions and 90% of total prescriptions in the erectile dysfunction market. These statistics, along with the fact that Viagra generated 592, 000 prescriptions in its first month alone, have prompted speculation that the Viagra launch could possibly be the most successful in history.

In the past year, Americans have spent $196 million on erectile dysfunction therapies at retail pharmacies. Since it's launch in May 1998, Viagra's cut of this market has been 1.4 million prescriptions.

For more information: Kevin McFadden, Scott-Levin. Tel: 215-860-5613.