Does The Easy Accessibility of The Viagra Pill Expose Hypocrisy Within The Market?

It’s been reported that 1 in 5 men suffer from erectile dysfunction within the UK. The condition can affect a man’s confidence, as well as his sex life which, frankly, is bad news for everyone involved.

The little blue wonder (as it has been described in the past) will be available from just under £5 per pill, £19.99 for a 4 tablet pack and £34.99 for an 8 tablet pack.

The news comes after the drug was reclassified in 2017. Users will be able to purchase the drug online or at a pharmacy, after answering a few questions to find out what would best suit them.

Kristie Sourial, the medical manager of Pfizer, the company who make the drug, said:

‘"The launch of Viagra Connect offers men a new and convenient route of access to treat the symptoms of erectile dysfunction. Our hope is that the availability of Viagra Connect in pharmacies will encourage men who do nothing about their erectile dysfunction to seek help, and encourage those who are inclined to seek help to do so sooner.’

In short, they want to make the pill more easily accessible to encourage men to seek help on their sexual health.

Well that’s all great but after hearing all of this, I can’t help but draw comparisons between the Viagra pill and emergency contraception. Of course, they’re not the same drug but they both give their respective users peace of mind when it comes to sex.

I don’t want to go all uber feminist on you, but let’s be honest, it seems a lot easier for men to gain access to the sexual health medication they need than it is for women. There, I said it.

We only have to cast our minds back a few months to the battle women had to fight in order to gain easier access to emergency contraception.

Let me refresh you on that one. Last summer, a campaign from The British Pregnancy Advisory Service exposed just how expensive the morning after pill can be. Due to the campaign, chains like Superdrug halved the price of the drug, making it £13.50. Boots however, refused to do so,citing fear of ‘ideological opposition to emergency contraception’ as well as fears for ‘inappropriate use’ (whatever the F that means).

In fact, it wasn’t until January of this year that Boots reduced the price to a slightly more affordable £15.99. It only took them 5 months and that’s still more expensive that in other European countries.

Don’t get me wrong, I think being able to access Viagra over the counter is a good thing, especially because it will prevent men buying dangerous counterfeit drugs online. But up until recently, women were still seeking illegal abortions in parts of Ireland. The pharma companies didn’t exactly rush to make emergency contraception more accessible.

Do you want to know the real kicker? The Viagra pill will be exclusively sold from Boots, as well as being available online.

**Follow Emma on Twitter **@EmmaLowther@EmmaLowther

**READ MORE: How the pill can affect your mental health **

This article originally appeared on The Debrief.