Longer Wait for Female Viagra
By Sushma Veera
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian women eagerly awaiting the arrival of the anti-impotence drug, Intrinsa, will have to wait a little longer.
This is because its manufacturer, Procter and Gamble (P&G), has not applied to market the drug in Malaysia.
P&G Malaysia’s associate public affairs manager Edwin Lam said: “At the moment, there’s no new information on the drugs.”
But he stressed that P&G Malaysia only markets and distributes consumer goods like shampoo, skin care and oral care products, to name a few.
Intrinsa, a new patch for women who have lost their sex drive, was granted a licence from the European Medicines Agency in July.
Dubbed as the female Viagra, the Intrinsa patch increases the level of testosterone in the blood and is said to be able to help women with `female sexual dysfunction’, a condition which was recognised in 1999.
According to a recent Daily Mail report, the patch is said to be transparent and about the size of an egg.
It is worn just below the navel and changed twice weekly.
Its manufacturer had said that the female aphrodisiac would initially be available only on prescription for post-menopausal women with diagnosed sexual problems.
However, the report stated that it is likely that the patches will become `lifestyle’ drugs bought freely over the counter and used by younger women with no sexual problems who want to increase their libido.
The makers of the drug decided to go for a patch instead of a pill due to risk of high dosage.
Too much testosterone in women can have unpleasant side effects – from excessive body hair to liver disorders.
The Health Ministry’s Parliamentary secretary, Datuk Lee Kah Choon, when asked whether the drugs would be allowed to be sold in the country, said: “It’s up to the pharmaceutical company manufacturing and distributing it.”
“If they want to sell it here, they must go through the normal process. The female aphrodisiac would need to be tested before it can be sold.”
The male anti-impotence drug, Viagra, entered the Malaysian market in July 1999, after 18 months of testing by the Health Ministry.
(c) 2007 Sunday Mail; Kuala Lumpur. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.