14 DAY TRIAL // This past Tuesday, August 18, the US Food and Drug Administration at long last agreed to give its seal of approval to a new drug meant for premenopausal women.
The novel drug, officially dubbed Addyi (Flibanserin), but also known as the pink pill or Viagra for women, promises to boost libido. Specifically, manufacturer Sprout Pharmaceutical says it is designed to treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD).
This condition was recognized by the medical community around 40 years ago. Its symptoms include little or no interest in intimate relations, and having very few or possibly no sexual fantasies.
“HSDD is characterized by low sexual desire that causes marked distress or interpersonal difficulty and is not due to a co-existing medical or psychiatric condition, problems within the relationship, or the effects of a medication or other drug substance.”
“HSDD is acquired when it develops in a patient who previously had no problems with sexual desire,” experts with the Food and Drug Administration explain in a report.
So, how does the drug work?
Unlike proper Viagra, which works by increasing blood flow, Addyi (Flibanserin) acts on the brain. The drug is designed to target the prefrontal cortex and up the levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, both shown to be involved in excitement.
At the same time, the drug decreases the levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that, when present in the brain in high concentrations, correlates with sexual satiety/inhibition.
The drug can cause side effects
In their latest report on Addyi (Flibanserin), specialists with the Food and Drug Administration caution that, although now officially approved as a treatment for HSDD, this new libido-boosting drug for premenopausal women can cause side effects.
Thus, trials have shown that it can cause low blood pressure and even loss of consciousness. Fatigue, nausea, dizziness, sleepiness, insomnia and dry mouth are also possible. The risk to develop either of these symptoms is greater when the drug is taken in combination with alcohol or other treatments.
Because of its potential side effects, the drug will only be available on prescription. Furthermore, the Food and Drug Administration asks that doctors and pharmacists warn patients not to drink when taking this drug or combine it with other treatments.
Now that it's been officially approved, it is only a matter of time until Addyi (Flibanserin) becomes available in certified pharmacies.
“The FDA strives to protect and advance the health of women, and we are committed to supporting the development of safe and effective treatments for female sexual dysfunction,” Janet Woodcock with the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement.