After many women’s groups campaigned for approval of Viagra use in women, a federal advisory panel has recommended to the US Food and Drug Administration to approve the drug for women who lack sexual desire.

Viagra until now was known as the drug to treat men with erectile dysfunction. Some women’s organizations have welcomed the move, saying it strengthens the belief of sexual equality.

The advisory committee recommended the approval of the drug by voting 18-6 in its favor. The Food and Drug Administration has to now decide the future of the drug, flibanserin, for women who lack sexual desire. The drug is intended to treat women who lack sexual desire which is not a result of other causes such as disease or relationship troubles.

The drug, however, does not come free of side-effects like low blood pressure, fainting, nausea and dizziness. Some women’s groups organized the controversial campaign to win federal approval under the banner Even the Score. The FDA was under fire after being accused of gender bias as it helped men to have sex by approving Viagra for them while not giving any options to women.

“The unmet need seems to be so strong that even for a drug with rather modest benefit, I think approving the product with strong limitations seems to be the right step at this point”, said Tobias Gerhard, a committee member and expert on drug safety at Rutgers University, in New Jersey.