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6th July 2009
Sex is a leap of faith: Communication, not technique, is what matters most, survey suggests.

What are the key ingredients to great sex? According to a new research study, they're all in your mind. Contrary to the pop culture notion that hot looks and masterful technique are what matter, the study released yesterday in The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality found the real essentials are emotional connection between partners, communication and focus. The study is titled The Components Of Optimal Sexuality: A Portrait Of "Great Sex." led by sex therapist and University of Ottawa psychologist Peggy Kleinplatz,

That's what researchers discovered when they went straight to the source – 44 people who reported experiencing "great sex" were drawn from two groups that are often overlooked in sexuality surveys. Those included Canadians over 60 with a lifetime of experience and sexual minorities including gay, lesbian and bisexual participants. An additional 20 sex therapists added their professional insights."The findings paint a radically different picture of optimal sexuality than what is portrayed in the mass media," the researchers concluded. Technical prowess and physiological functions like hard erections or even orgasms were not what counted most for those in the study."The actual sexual behaviours and acts performed are far less important than the mindset and intent of the person or couple engaged in these acts."The study, identified key components to great sex that were universal among those surveyed. They include: being present, connection, deep sexual and erotic intimacy, extraordinary communication, authenticity, vulnerability, interpersonal risk-taking and exploration.

Josey Vogels, a popular sex and relationship columnist and author, says the findings are important at a time when "quick-fix solutions" like pharmaceuticals and "how-to" lists in magazines are so commonly pitched as the answers to boosting your sex life. The study reinforces that fulfilling sex is rooted in communication and intimacy "and a very small slice of it is about the physical," Vogels said from her Bancroft home. It also explains why many people don't renew Viagra prescriptions – because, she said, the drug gives them a physical erection "but that doesn't necessarily mean their sexual communication and relationship with their partner is going to change."Vogels said the inclusion of older Canadians in the study reaffirms the growing recognition that sexuality does not have to diminish with age. The 25 older participants were ages 60 through 82. "Although older married people are generally not considered first as a font of information about optimal sexuality," the study said, "it stands to reason that individuals and couples who have managed to make this experience last a lifetime ... have much to teach the rest of us." The researchers noted that so-called "normal" sexual function was not necessary to having an optimal sex life and that partners willingly adjusted to diminished physical ability and responsiveness that came from age, illness and disability. It concluded that those with fulfilling sex lives "have learned to ignore conventional performance expectations in order to listen to and take responsibility for their own hearts' desires."

Source: TheStar.com

1st July 2009
Counterfeit drug dealers jailed.

Medicine counterfeiting has rightly continued to feature in both the mainstream press and various new media sites. The European Alliance for Access to Safe Medicines (EAASM) featured a couple of recent stories that they published on the news section of their website (8 June 2009). These reports highlight the prevalence of counterfeit drugs and the danger they pose to European patients. However, it is encouraging to see how the problem is being taken seriously, resulting in some high profile arrests.

German authorities shut down fake Viagra ring
Following a month-long probe that resulted in raids in five cities, German customs authorities have shut down a criminal gang selling millions of counterfeit male impotency pills online from India and other Asian countries. The multi-agency operation discovered a stockpile of 46,000 pills ready for mail order distribution. Seven people were detained in the raids, with four since remanded in custody.

Counterfeiter jailed for 2 years
The EAASM applauds the work of the MHRA in the arrest and subsequent prosecution of a website owner selling counterfeit drugs via his site, generating a turnover of £6.1m in just three years - and a profit of £3.4m.

It is also encouraging to read Judge Taylor’s statement, which resonates strongly with the EAASM’s position: "In my judgment there is little difference between those who sell large quantities of unlicensed drugs and those who sell counterfeit drugs", is hopeful that this case will set a legal precedent, easing the prosecution of many similar criminals regardless of where these websites are hosted

1st July 2009
Viagra available on the high street

Men will be able to get Viagra on the high street for the first time with the launch of a pharmacy service for male sexual problems.

From the 18th June 2009, pharmacists at Boots stores across the country will offer men a half-hour consultation to assess the problem and offer a course of the prescription-only drugs. The tests will involve a questionnaire, a check of the person's medical history and a series of blood tests, including glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels to rule out a more serious health problem. The service will be available in a private consultation room in 29 stores and will cost £55 for the initial screening and then £26.59 for four tablets. Patients can return for a check up and get further supplies.

Pharmacist James Longden, who led a pilot study in Manchester, said: "Sometimes it can be a bit of an embarrassing subject to talk about and many didn't know where to turn to for help." He said that some men, whose family doctor was part of a small village practice or a personal friend, wanted to talk to someone they would not see again about the problem. Others accepted it as an inevitable part of the ageing process and thought they should not bother their doctor with it.

Erectile dysfunction affects one in 10 British men and it is estimated that only 10 per cent of the estimated 2.3 million men who suffer are being treated.

Source: Daily Telegraph. June 19 2009

1st July 2009
Serious health risk posed by Traditional Chinese Medicine ‘Herbal Viagra’

Dangerously high levels of undeclared pharmaceuticals have been discovered in a supposed ‘Herbal Viagra’ being sold in many Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) stores in the United Kingdom. The product ‘Jia Yi Jian’ recently seized by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) claimed to contain only herbal ingredients. However, laboratory analysis revealed the unlicensed product contained up to four times the level of pharmaceuticals found in legally prescribed medicinal products licensed for the treatment of obesity and erectile dysfunction. Manufactured by Hu Nan Aimin Pharmaceuticals Ltd, the undeclared ingredients could cause serious side effects including significant heart and blood pressure problems as well as adversely reacting with other prescription drugs such as those for blood pressure, heart disease and some antidepressants.

Richard Woodfield, MHRA Group Manager for Herbal Medicines, said people should consult their GP or a health care professional before taking herbal medication particularly for serious medical conditions such as obesity or erectile dysfunction. “This product, adulterated with large and uncontrolled amounts of pharmaceutical substances, presents a clear risk to consumers. There is continuing evidence that some so-called ‘herbal’ products on the UK and international markets are nothing of the kind. Often, such marketing claims about the supposed natural ingredients in these unlicensed products are simply an attempt to divert the consumer’s attention away from very low manufacturing and ethical standards."

Source: press.office@mhra.gsi.gov.uk

19th June 2009
Tycoon jailed for fake Viagra web scam

A businessman whose millionaire lifestyle was funded through illegal sales of Viagra was jailed yesterday. Martin Hickman, 49, earned £3.4 million selling the unlicensed pills over the internet and bought a £2.5 million riverside apartment in Chelsea, London, with the profits. Drug investigators found that some of the pills, which he sold across Europe through his website MSH World Traders, were fakes and others were not legal for sale in Britain. He pleaded guilty to six counts of supplying fake and unlicensed medicines and money laundering.

The case is one of the biggest ever handled by the Medicines and healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Records obtained during a raid on Hickman's property by their enforcement officers showed his turnover to be in excess of £6 million.

The Guardian June 2009