Impotence drug advertising is largely ineffective

kcautv.com ^ | 5/28/05 | AP

[anniegetyourgun]

NEW YORK Hundreds of (m) millions of dollars in advertising for impotence drugs has failed to produce a big increase in sales.

During the first quarter, both sales and prescriptions for drugs like Viagra and Cialis grew only one percent in the United States, despite a flurry of advertising.

Last year, the makers of erectile dysfunction drugs spent 382 (m) million dollars on advertising, but didn't see a big boost in patients. Now there's a turf war as drug makers try and snag the limited number of males who want treatment.

About 30 (m) million American men have erectile dysfunction problems, but many are too embarassed to tell their doctors. Doctors also say many aren't interested in the drugs because they don't have partners, or have partners who are no longer interested in sex.

[anniegetyourgun]

Good - I hope this means we'll see fewer stupid commercials for this crap.

[snarks_when_bored]

Sales of erectile dysfunction drugs somewhat flaccid?

[snarks_when_bored]

Can't be the stiff competition, I guess.

[steveo]

With all that money they spent I would have thought their sales would swell. And sure the commercials are stupid, but I wouldn't be that hard on them...

[snarks_when_bored]

It's getting harder and harder to open up new markets, I guess.

[Paleo Conservative]

Won't using Viagra cause you to go blind?

[pepperhead]

I can't wait for the day I can sit in front of a tv with children and not see this crap.

[tflabo]

Instead of spending millions in advertising the drug companies should drop the price of these pecker raising drugs.

[somemoreequalthanothers]

Amen to that.
I have to hit mute or change channels. I can't suffer through them.

[lightman]

Impotence drug advertising can't get it up.

[thoughtomator]

Ditto, I found it obscene in the first place.

[LoudRepublicangirl]

Bob Dole started it.....

[anniegetyourgun]

Perhaps for some men, it would actually make it easier to perform if they couldn't see.

[anniegetyourgun]

I thought he was just pushing Pepsi.....

[Jaysun]

Good - I hope this means we'll see fewer stupid commercials for this crap.

I'd like to see less pharmaceutical commercials that don't tell you what the drug is for. For example, I recently saw one with an older couple walking hand in hand down the beach. They made some vague smalltalk and then some lady's voice came on and said, "Ask your doctor if Vigoban (or whatever the name was) is right for you." That's it. As it turns out, it's a drug that's supposed to reduce "hot flashes" during menopause.

I wish they'd stop showing commercials like this. Frankly, I think my doctor is sick of me calling him every other day.

[yarddog]

Every time I see that smiling bob commercial, I want to throw a shoe at the tv.

[anniegetyourgun]

I know, I know....a very large shoe, I'm sure.....

[yarddog]

I wear a size 14. I actually don't know what is so irritating about it but it really is.

[alicewonders]

I don't wonder that the commercials weren't effective - I know everytime one comes on in my house, I change the channels or mute the sound. Seems to me most of the men using these drugs are gay, pedophiles or young men that want to party all night.

Oh yeah, & lecherous old men. There's an old man that comes in where I work & always says to me with a gleam in his eye, "Guess what I got in my pocket? Viagra!" Then he laughs in a dispicable way.

[anniegetyourgun]

I've actually listened to genmed docs complain about how much they hate practicing medicine these days. Too many patients, having self-diagnosed, arrive with a list of demands for scrips....and they get p'oed if the doc doesn't just go along with it.