The oral erectile dysfunction (ED) treatment launched in South Africa in April 2003 by pharmaceutical company Lilly, is currently the leading treatment in the highly competitive ED market, boasting approximately 57% of market share. This PDE5 inhibitor has rapidly gained ground over the past five years, and post launch had already secured 33% of the local market after only one month of sales, making the initial South African performance of this treatment one of the best worldwide.
What these figures further reinforce is that men with erections problems are finding the attributes of Lilly's treatment appealing.
“Since the first PDE 5 inhibitor came to market in 1999, the market for the treatment of ED has changed completely. PDE 5's have become the treatment of choice for erectile dysfunction, even for the more complicated conditions such as diabetes and post-surgery,” says Professor Schalk Wentzel, a urologist from Bloemfontein.
The frequency of ED increases with age. The prevalence of ED in men age 40 and older is 52%. By age 70 the prevalence may be as high as 67%1.
Extensive pre-launch research conducted before this treatment was launched indicated that men were very eager for a new treatment option that provided them with more freedom, helping them to regain a more normal sex life. Feedback from both doctors and patients since launch have confirmed that men and their doctors find Lilly's treatment appealing because it offers “real life” efficacy since the treatment is proven in some men to start working within 30 minutes, and acts for up to 36 hours2, causing an erection only when the man is sexually stimulated3, and without as many food restraints as compared with its competitors. In fact, it is the only PDE5 inhibitor that can be taken without regard to food, with the rate and extent of absorption not affected by food. The rate of absorption and the efficacy of the other two PDE5 treatments on the market are affected by the consumption of high fat foods4.
For men suffering from ED, this means that couples do not have to plan around meals. It is, however, recommended for men taking any of the PDE 5 inhibitors, that alcohol consumption is not excessive5.
Besides this medication from Lilly, the other two PDE 5 inhibitors on the market are from Bayer and Pfizer respectively.
“Even though we have been trying to destigmatise this condition, we find that men are still very embarrassed about ED. We know that over 55% of men over 50 will have some degree of erectile dysfunction but men still feel that they are alone in their suffering, and are less of a man because of it,” says Professor Wentzel. “Men on the whole are also very uneducated and think that the ED is all in their mind. Most men do not realise that ED can be a marker for a more serious condition such as coronary heart disease. Men suffering from ED need to see their GP or a specialist to unmark any other possible life threatening reason which could be causing the ED”.
“Lilly is proud to be offering men a treatment with such added benefits. Our core focus is on satisfying the unmet medical needs of our patients with best in class innovative products,” comments Jacques Blaauw, Marketing Director for Lilly, South Africa.
Professor Wentzel says that when it comes to treatments for ED, what may be advantageous for some people, may have disadvantages for others. “The prolonged time period for which Lilly's treatment for ED remains in the system allows men to respond and get a better erection and allows them to be more spontaneous since couples will not have as strict a time frame in which to be sexually intimate. Because the treatment is not affected by alcohol and fatty foods, a couple can enjoy a romantic dinner and do not have to rush or plan their intimacy as much”.
Despite ED being more topical for at least the past ten years since the first PDE 5 inhibitor came to market, the one underlying outcome of research, conducted by pharmaceutical company Lilly locally last year, is that men with ED believe that they are alone in their suffering.
“We want men who suffer from ED to know that they are not alone, that they should not feel isolated and that help is available. We urge men suffering from this condition to speak to their doctor about the clinically proven treatment options available,” says Jacques Blaauw.
Lilly's treatment is clinically proven to improve ED in men with mild, moderate and severe ED as well as in men with ED who have other medical conditions such as diabetes or hypertension3.
“In my experience, men still suffer with their ED for a very long time before seeking treatment, and it is often the woman who urges her partner to go and seek medical advice since it may get to the point where their relationship or marriage is under threat. My advice to doctors is to stop waiting for the patient to bring ED into the conversation. A good idea is for doctors to bring it into the open, and to get more involved in discussing it with their patients, Prof Wentzel says.
Speak to your doctor if you need more information about treatment for ED, especially as some medications might interact with PDE 5 inhibitors (A PDE5 should never be combined with nitroglycerin or other forms of nitrates)6.
Go to www.36hours-of-freedom.co.za for more information.
