Medical News Today reported:
“While the exact mechanisms by which flibanserin works is unclear, Sprout Pharmaceuticals believe it corrects an imbalance in brain chemicals that are responsible for sexual desire.”
Effectiveness of Female Viagra Negligible
Assuming one doesn’t mind mucking about with one’s brain chemicals, just how effective is this drug, anyway?
According to an article in the online version of Berkeley Wellness, the benefits are rather puny. Tami Rowen, MD, MS, is a gynecologist. She said this about the drug:
“Flibanserin was shown to have a modest improvement over placebo in increasing desire. Women taking the drug had up to two more satisfying sexual events (SSEs) each month, compared to the placebo’s increase of one more SSE a month.”
No Surprise: Unpleasant Side Effects not an FDA Approval Deal Killer
Side effects of the drug include:
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Nausea
- Trouble sleeping
- Low Blood Pressure
- Fainting (especially when the drug is combined with alcohol)
- Dry Mouth
- Possible increased cancer risk
Recently flibanserin was approved by the FDA, despite these clear warning signs.
Adriane Fugh-Berman is a pharmacology professor at Georgetown University. This Washington D.C. professor is not impressed with the drug, and asserted, “This opens the way for drug companies to pressure the FDA through public relations campaigns to approve more bad drugs: It’s bad news for rational drug approval.”
Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder just another Psychiatric Disorder
Considering that the drug was developed to “handle” a psychiatric condition dubbed hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), it is already suspect.
Psychiatrists, known for voting mental disorders into existence, are not to be trusted. Besides, some of their “advice” on handling this situation includes changing psychiatric medications that may be suppressing desire. In other words, at least some of the time this condition is initiated by the use of psychiatric drugs.
Another reason their diagnosis is suspect is that, in the words of “sexual dysfunction expert” psychologist Raymond C. Rosen, “Some people don’t want to have sex. If it’s not causing distress, it’s not dysfunction.”
This does not sound scientific. You either have this chemical brain dysfunction or you don’t. However, psychiatric powers of observation have always been weak. Their approach has been something along the lines of “if the square peg doesn’t fit into the round hole, just square up that hole.”
Obviously, the real impetus behind getting the FDA approval is not an altruistic concern for the sexual welfare of women. There is money to be made on this drug, to the tune of $30 to $75 per month, with medical insurance.
Pharmaceutical companies in unholy alliance with psychiatry have been producing dangerous drugs for years. In fact, compared to the suicides, murders and permanent disabilities associated with anti-depressant and anti-psychotic drugs, flibanserin may pale.
However, that does not excuse the unleashing of yet another questionable drug on the marketplace.
SOURCES:
http://www.berkeleywellness.com/self-care/sexual-health/article/flibanserin-viagra-women
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/298349.php
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