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The blue pills remain prescription-only
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The Viagra active ingredient sildenafil continues to require a prescription.
A committee of experts at the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) in Bonn on Tuesday unanimously rejected an application to lift the prescription requirement.
This means that a prescription from the doctor will also be mandatory in the future.
Sildenafil is a drug from the group of so-called phosphodiesterase inhibitors, also called PDE-5 inhibitors.
They are the most commonly used drugs for erectile dysfunction.
The committee's decision not only affects the well-known potency pill Viagra, but also so-called copycat preparations with the active ingredient sildenafil.
The vote initially only has the character of a recommendation, ultimately the Federal Ministry of Health decides on the prescription requirement, but usually it follows the committee.
Since the patent protection for Viagra in Germany expired in 2013, a number of cheaper imitation products, some with other active ingredients, have been on the market.
Like Viagra, the so-called generic drugs in Germany require a prescription.
The prescription requirement means that a black market has emerged around the percentage means, sometimes with counterfeit and harmful preparations.
In some countries such as the UK, Switzerland and Norway, sildenafil no longer requires a prescription.
However, advice from the pharmacist is sometimes a prerequisite for dispensing.
The urologist Christian Wülfing justified the need for medical advice before taking Viagra in an interview with SPIEGEL with the fact that erectile dysfunction is often the cause of erectile dysfunction.
This could also be an early warning signal of an impending heart attack.
"In most cases, anyone who needs Viagra has a medical history that needs to be clarified before taking it," he said.
kry/AFP
