Public warned against herbal sexual enhancers

MANILA, Philippines - Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has warned the public against buying substandard herbal medicine being sold as sexual enhancers, saying they contain inhibitors that may be harmful to health if used indiscriminately.

In a statement, Dr. James Wee, Pfizer senior medical manager, said these herbal sexual enhancers are being sold over-the-counter although they may contain phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor or for “prescription only Sildenafil drugs” which are clinically indicated treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED).

“PDE5 inhibitors are never bought as over-the-counter medicine. It should only be purchased with a prescription from a physician, thus if you’re buying OTC meds with this compound, then you are putting your life at risk,” he added.

ED is a condition among men that is characterized by the inability to attain or maintain penile erection.

Wee said, “Authentic prescription-only Sildenafil medicine remains to be a safe and effective way to treat ED.”  

“Counterfeits and clones shorten or circumvent the proper process of research and development often compromising efficacy, quality, and safety of drugs. There are other processes that can be used to produce Sildenafil but safety and efficacy of Sildenafil produced by alternative, substandard processes are unproven,” he said.

Wee urged the public to learn the tell-tale signs of counterfeit and substandard medicine and to buy them only from licensed drug stores.

“Always look for the ‘DR #, lot #, expiry date, and the logo’ of the pharmaceutical company. Patients should also ask for the official sales invoice of every purchase. Make sure the sales invoice indicates the lot # and expiration date of the drug product,” he added.

Packaging, he said, is often characterized by “poor craftmanship,” thus indicating that they are illegal.

“If prints on labels are blurred or hazy and containers look like they have been tampered or recycled, these are usually fake medicine,” he said.

Wee added the packaging of counterfeits usually does not have a generic name; the brand name is bigger than the generic name; the color is different from the original; and the tablet is “more friable” than the originally hard tablets.

“We must… remain vigilant that we only get authentic medicine because this safe practice translates to creating a healthier nation that we do not only owe to ourselves and our families, but to our country as well,” he said.