Is It Safe to Buy Viagra Online?

Almost anything can be bought online these days, including some prescription drugs like Viagra. This prescription drug is also known as Sildenafil, which is used to treat impotence or male sexual dysfunction.

However, many people wonder if it is safe to buy Viagra online, considering that dispensing the drug without a prescription is illegal.

Viagra for Erectile Dysfunction

Chronic erectile dysfunction affects up to 25% of men aged 65 and above and about 5% of younger men. However, it is common for most men to experience an inability to achieve an erection occasionally. If this happens about 20% of the time, no treatment is usually necessary. On the other hand, failing to have an erection more than 50% of the time indicates that treatment may be necessary.

There are many factors that can cause problems with erection. Stress, anxiety, and depression are common factors that can cause occasional erection problems. Chronic illness such as diabetes and heart disease, as well as medications for these illnesses can also cause men to lose their ability to achieve an erection. An injury to the penis that leads to scar formation, nerve problems and hardening of the arteries are among other possible causes of erectile dysfunction.

Viagra or sildenafil citrate is a pill prescribed by doctors to men who have problems with penile erection during sex. It enables men to respond to sexual arousal by helping the penis get filled with enough blood, causing an erection. The erection goes away after sex is over.

Ordering Viagra Online

The best way to obtain Viagra is to first consult a doctor who will evaluate the cause of your erectile dysfunction and prescribe a suitable treatment. Sometimes, treating the underlying cause of the problem, such as diabetes or chronic stress will help improve sexual dysfunction.

If using Viagra is part of the management of your problem, it is advisable to get a prescriptionfor the drug from your doctor who will advise you on the proper way to use it and the precautions you need to take when using it.

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Some people would opt to buy Viagra online to maintain their privacy and for the convenience of having their medications delivered to their doorsteps. The internet is an attractive means of obtaining many products, including drugs. Some websites promote cheap Viagra for sale while others sell it without asking for a prescription. Other sites also offer overnight shipping, free shipping, and online doctor consultation. These offers sound very tempting to many men who would rather not go to a doctor for consultation and lab tests, or to go back for a refill of their prescription. Others who are embarrassed to let anyone know about their problems would rather obtain their medications in the privacy of their home, trusting that online pharmacies are as legitimate as a local pharmacy.

The question is, it really safe to buy Viagra online?

Most Online Viagra Products Are Fake

Online sale of counterfeit medications is a growing problem and in previous years, counterfeit versions of two of its products (Norvasc and Lipitor) were found to be linked to deaths in Canada and UK. Sildenafil is marketed as Viagra by the company called Pfizer. Pfizer decided to monitor the sale of products called “Viagra” in the internet using two top internet search engines. The researchers placed orders for Viagra from more than 20 websites that claimed their products were manufactured by Pfizer.

The results of their study showed that none of the websites required a health screen or a prescription for the drug. Ninety percent of these websites offered “generic Viagra” which were illegal. They also found that less than 20% of the tablets they bought were authentic and the rest were fake.

The counterfeit tablets contained only 30-50% of sildenafil citrate (the active ingredient). These products lacked information and safety warnings, which are usually present in product leaflets. The prices of the tablets ranged from $3 to $33, and they were shipped from various origins, including the US, Hong Kong, UK, Canada, China, and India.

The researchers noted that the fake Viagra pills looked different from the real ones, being heavier, thicker and darker blue in color. Chemical analysis of the pills revealed that they contained other substances such as gypsum and antihypertensive medications, which could pose health problems.

Importance of Medical Consultation

Before you consider taking Viagra or ordering these medications online, it is important to learn more about the drug from a doctor who will first evaluate your condition. Before prescribing the drug, it is best to know if you have a medical condition that is causing the problem and if medical management of this problem will help solve your impotence. The doctor will also explain how the drug is used, the effects that are expected, and the possible side effects that might occur.

How to Buy Viagra Online

After obtaining a written prescription from your doctor, choose an online pharmacy that has a National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) certification, which helps ensure the safety and quality of online prescriptions. Only pharmacies that have met inspection and licensing requirements are certified by the NABP. The NABP has a list of certified pharmacies in its Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS™) program from which you can use to choose an online source of medications.

Never buy Viagra from websites that sells it even without a prescription or those that offer to write the prescriptions. 

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Buy products in their original package supplied by the manufacturer and avoid those in foreign packages. These may be part of unregulated imports of counterfeit drugs that have entered the US market.

Scrutinize the pills and their packaging before taking the drug. Ask your pharmacist about any unusual appearance or packaging or if you notice a different reaction to the drug.

If you suspect counterfeiting, report it to the FDA MedWatch Program (800-FDA-1088).