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Questions raised surrounding effectiveness of new 'female Viagra'

Posted at 5:33 PM, Aug 12, 2019
and last updated 2019-08-13 06:14:03-04

(WXYZ) — Recently the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a brand new drug being labeled the female Viagra. It's the second of its kind to hit the market. The first was a daily pill, but this one is an injection to be used before sex.

However, the reviews on this one are only so-so.

It's a shot that's supposed to give a woman a sexual boost. It's called Vyleesi.

It's set to hit the market next month, but a lot of women are already skeptical.

Vyleesi is an injection women will use right before sex. The very first medication touted as a female Viagra was a daily pill meant to help a woman's libido. Vyleesi is meant to treat hypo-active low sexual desire. According to a study out of the Netherlands, the results are not that good.

For the woman having no sex at all, that's at least a start but there are also side effects.

Let's be clear, despite being hailed the female Viagra, erectile dysfunction medications like Viagra work by dilating blood vessels that provide blood flow to the penis, which is very different.

Vyleesi is injected into your thigh or abdomen and reportedly activates hormones associated with sexual arousal and appetite. However, the FDA says how much it improves your sexual desire is still unknown.

Clinical trials were less than impressive. It worked on 25% of patients who took Vyleesi, and 40% of patients experienced nausea after taking it.

Dr. Partha Nandi says the medication is a start but you should explore other options to go along with it.