After Sprout Pharmaceuticals and Valeant Pharmaceuticals’ female sexual dysfunction (FSD) drug Addyi was given green signal, experts came up with different opinions on the drug. It seems that mechanism of the drug, also called “female Viagra”, is not understood properly.

Last month, female sexual dysfunction (FSD) drug, Addyi from Sprout Pharmaceuticals was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. When it comes to mechanism of the drug, many misunderstandings are there among people.

Viagra is used for stimulation of a physiological reaction in men, whenever it is required. Addyi is a psychological therapy that promotes desire for women.

As per experts, the newly approved drug is not for women who do not really have hypoactive desire disorder (HSDD), which is a psychological condition that leads to loss of sexual desire and increased distress while having sex.

In the US, only 7% of premenopausal women are thought to have HSDD, and doctors are not expecting that it will be beneficial for all of them. According to Cindy Whitehead, the CEO of Sprout said that it was found in a Phase III trial that 43-60% of women saw positive change in sexual desire. Sprout made efforts for approval of Addyi by FDA before Valeant acquired it for $1 billion.

Erectile dysfunction takes place regularly in nearly 1 in 3 men over the age of 55 and generally, Viagra works for those who have no contraindications and are able to tolerate the side-effects.