What is the deal with Addyi, the ‘female Viagra’?

When flibanserin (Addyi) hit the market last year, it brought a whole new meaning to the phrase “sex sells.” The drug targets premenopausal women who have a lack of desire to engage in sexual activity. It is the first drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat such a condition. Unfortunately Addyi doesn’t actually “treat” anything. It is a deceptively marketed drug riddled with health risks and a bleak history.

Before gaining FDA approval last summer, Addyi was rejected twice before due to minimal benefit and safety concerns. Not much has changed. As a result, the drug will require a black box label to warn users of the potential side effects.

Four clinical trials compared the side effects of Addyi to a placebo sugar pill. Participants who took Addyi were more prone to dizziness, fatigue, sleepiness, insomnia, dry mouth, severe low blood pressure and fainting. It is not recommended to take Addyi with alcohol due to increased risk of severe low blood pressure and loss of consciousness.

In addition, Addyi only proved effective for a small group of women. Approximately 10-12% of clinical trial participants reported a slight benefit. From that small group of women, the benefit lasted for approximately eight weeks. There is currently no information examining the long term risks of taking Addyi. Therefore, women who benefit from the drug are advised to take Addyi for no longer than eight weeks.

So, why is this drug on the market?

Feminism dealt a large hand in its approval. Clever marketing schemes compared Addyi to Viagra, demanding the FDA “even the score” by approving the drug. This campaign advocates to increase awareness about female sexual dysfunction, citing a lack of available treatment for women. According to their website, men have 26 FDA approved treatments that address sexual dysfunction, while women have only one. In order to achieve sexual health equity, Even the Score demands more attention towards female sexual dysfunction.  A variety of well-established feminist organizations support this campaign.

I spoke with Cindy Pearson, Executive Director of the National Women’s Health Network (NWHN), about the “female Viagra” pill. Comparatively, Addyi is nothing like Viagra. While Viagra is used to treat a physical condition, Addyi is used to treat a psychological condition. “Female Viagra” is nothing but a misleading term that doesn’t accurately reflect the reality of the situation. Pearson sums it up, stating “Addyi’s attempt to make it a feminist issue, was an attempt to save a failed product.”

So, how do we even the score? When compared to products like Viagra, Pearson believes the score was already even. “The products that are available to help men are almost all for erectile dysfunction. The products available to women before Addyi was approved were also about a physical dysfunction, such as pain with intercourse and dry vagina. In that sense the score was already even before Addyi’s approval.”

With a price tag of around $800 a month, little to no benefit and major health risks, I wouldn’t recommend the drug to anyone. Although Addyi may work to increase sexual desire, it definitely doesn’t turn me on.