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 LONDON (Reuters) - Pfizer’s big-selling erectile dysfunction drug Viagra has been given a green light for sale without a prescription in Britain, the first country to grant it over-the-counter status. The U.S. drugmaker said on Tuesday it was working on plans to launch the non-prescription version of the medicine, known as Viagra Connect, in the United Kingdom in the spring of 2018. Beginning in spring 2018, Pfizer says, the OTC version of Viagra will be available to consumers (as long as the pharmacist thinks it’s okay for the individual). It achieved peak worldwide sales of more than $2 billion in 2012 but sales have since declined as patents have expired, prompting Pfizer to explore extending its brand value as a non-prescription drug. The MRHA made the decision to deregulate the drug after a public consultation, and said it hoped the rule change would reduce the number of people buying counterfeit versions of the drug, which can be dangerous. “It’s important men feel they have fast access to quality and legitimate care, and do not feel they need to turn to counterfeit online supplies which could have potentially serious side effects,” said Mick Foy, the MHRA’s group manager in vigilance and risk management of medicines.
– For the first time ever, Viagra will be available over the counter and without a prescription. Reuters reports Pfizer plans to start selling an over-the-counter version of the erectile dysfunction medication this spring in the UK. The new Viagra Connect will have the same major ingredient as regular Viagra, according to Fortune. Sales of Viagra have been declining since 2012, and Pfizer hopes an over-the-counter version will open a new revenue channel. The drug maker has been pushing for the UK to reclassify Viagra as a non-prescription drug for nearly a decade. That finally happened courtesy of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Time reports. “Erectile dysfunction can be a debilitating condition, so it’s important men feel they have fast access to quality and legitimate care,” says Mick Foy of the MHRA. The agency hopes allowing anyone over the age of 18 to purchase Viagra at the pharmacy will reduce the number of people who buy dangerous counterfeit erectile dysfunction medication. Viagra Connect is the first non-prescription erectile dysfunction medication in the UK. It will cost approximately $27 for a four-pack.