Ms. Magazine has a new blog post about the drug Flibanserin, which is touted as the female Viagra. The post brings up some interesting points about the psychosocial issues surrounding female sexuality and encourages the FDA to reject the drug. Rather than treat low female libido with pharmaceuticals, the article encourages the government to increase their commitment to sexual education.

While I agree that it is necessary to address the cultural pressures on women, it is also important to help women with medical arousal problems. Some of these problems are actually caused by other pharmaceuticals. The birth control pill, itself, comes with a significant side effect. In exchange for reproductive freedom, many women on the pill experience problems with sexual arousal and climax.

Flibanserin is a mix of two drugs that affect the neurotransmitter serotonin. It is an agonist, or activator, of the serotonin receptor called 5-HT1A, and an antagonist, or inhibitor, of the 5-HT2A serotonin receptor. In clinical trials, the drug only moderately improved sexual function but the side effects didn’t seem that severe either. They included dizziness, nausea, fatigue, and insomnia, which seem to be on all drug labels these days. Given all this information, should the drug be on the market? Give the FDA a chance to decide.

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Comments

Sure there are side effects to most drugs. But do they show any studies that show the relationship to the enhanced quality of life the person attains with the drug? I'm sure if they show the studies, people would see more enjoyment between the couples through the years which outweighs most of the side effects that are shown. Besides, the side effects that are usually listed are usually such a small minority that it rarely ever happens.

While I am against the use of drugs unless absolutely necessary, I also understand the problem these women are faced with. There are natural supplements on the market and, while I cannot say which, if any, are effective, surely they are worth a try before resorting to drugs. Drugs that raise Serotonin (SSRI's) are usually used for depression and can have serious side effects. Interestingly, with the exception of 1 brand, SSRI's (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) reduce sexual function.

I'm sure this drug is going to spark a lively debate. Being relatively healthy, I've often wondered if taking certain drugs is worth all the negative side effects that they produce. Maybe someday the pharmaceutical companies will come up with a drug that does what it is supposed to do with any harmful side effects.

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Great article. Female Viagra has become very popular in recent years and it will be interesting to see what happens next in the near future.

I think it is worth to try, i mean there are a lot of woman that have issues with it, now there is a solution and i think it will break trough