Factsheets

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23rd November 2009
'Female Viagra' discovery claim.

The drug flibanserin is in development to improve women's diminished sexual desire or libido. The results of clinical trials were presented last week at a sexual medicine meeting in Lyon, France. The women in the studies who took 100mg of the drug once a day for their low libido reported significant improvements in their sexual desire and satisfactory sexual experiences. However flibanserin is not currently available as it has to be approved for prescription by the regulatory authorities.

BBC News

10th November 2009
Penis tissue replaced in lab.

Researchers in the US have been able to grow and replace penis tissue in animals. This is very early research, hopefully leading to the technology that will help reconstruct damaged or diseased penises. So it may take many years before we can find out if the technology can be applied to humans.

Full story: BBC News

3rd October 2009
The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) and information on medicines.

The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has published a report on "Information on benefit-risk of medicines: patients’, consumers’ and healthcare professionals’ expectations".

Following a request from patients, consumers and healthcare professionals, the European Medicines Agency carried out a survey to find out ways to improve the information it provides on the benefits and risks of medicines. This was followed by a workshop, where the participants had the opportunity to share their experiences and to make proposals for improvement.

The EMEA together with the Patients’ and Consumers’ Working Party (PCWP), and the Healthcare Professionals’ Working Group (HCP WG) have prepared a report on the outcome of this project and proposals for action.

Download the pdf: click (300kb)

21st September 2009
Viagra cream may be developed

A cream allowing erectile dysfunction drugs to be applied directly to the skin could one day make them safer to use, say New York scientists after undertaking preliminary animal experiments. These results will be need to be checked out in clinical trials in humans. Therefore, finally getting the cream approved for widescale use could take 10 years or more if it is found to work.

Full story: BBC News

16th August 2009
Type 2 diabetes and sexual dysfunction

A survey of 2,500 patients by Diabetes UK found nearly 25% had suffered sexual dysfunction affecting both men and women. Diabetes rates have soared in recent years with 125,000 new cases diagnosed each year, leaving 5% of the UK population with the most common type 2 version.

Full Story: BBC News