Medically reviewed by: Thomas Fischer (Pharmacist). This article has been written according to strict guidelines and medical standards.
Medically reviewed by: Thomas Fischer (Pharmacist)
Erectile dysfunction (ED), is a common ailment that affects many American men. It is not a subject that they enjoy talking about. Everybody knows the name Viagra (What Is Viagra? What Do Viagra Pills Look Like?), and that it can temporarily assist with this issue. For this reason, people think they know what it does, and choose to source it however they can.
Why then do American men choose to source viagra from India and not from the USA? There are a number of factors behind this. However, this is risky behavior. Here are some pertinent facts about Indian viagra and why you shouldn’t buy it.
What Is Generic Viagra?
Viagra is the brand name of the ED medication, sildenafil. This product is a PDE5 inhibitor. The human body produces nitric oxide, which helps to relax muscle layers. An enzyme in the body known as cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) assists with this process. Another protein in the body known as phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) attacks cGMP, restricting blood flow, which is what is believed to be behind erectile dysfunction.
The purpose of an inhibitor (such as sildenafil), is to stop the PDE5 from preventing cGMP from doing its job. This allows blood flow to the penis, resulting in an erection.
Prior to 2017, only brand name Viagra was available to purchase in the United States. Once sildenafil became an option to buy, this opened the door for the product to be available to more consumers as it was a lot cheaper than the original, up to 50% less. In America, Viagra is produced and distributed by the Pfizer company. They also create their own generic version of sildenafil.
When people refer to ‘generic viagra’ they are talking about sildenafil. Both of these are available in India but are produced by domestic companies. These medications are sold at significantly lower prices than in the USA, but with a catch.
Why Do American Men Search for "Viagra Online India"?
There are a number of reasons why men choose to buy viagra from India, but the main two are the avoidance of a prescription and the prohibitive cost.
They Don’t Want a Prescription
Men generally don’t like to admit weaknesses. Being unable to generate or maintain an erection, is for some men, the worst scenario they can imagine. It is their manhood that is put into question by this common, yet undesirable situation.
Sildenafil (viagra), is a prescription-only medication. As such, a consultation with a doctor is required. This conversation can be very uncomfortable for some men. This isn’t a discussion they want to have with the family GP that they’ve known for their entire adult life.
In a means to avoid going through this process entirely, choosing to secure the product internationally, anonymously, without one, appears to be an attractive option.
It's Expensive
ED medication purchased in the USA is expensive. Very few insurance companies cover it, and patients are left quite out-of-pocket. As an example, in December of 2019, the price per pill for 100mg of brand-name Viagra was $76.71. Generic brands are considerably cheaper though, for the same period sildenafil was $24.41.
However, purchasing these products from India is so much cheaper again. For the same period, December 2019, brand name Viagra has an average online price of 527 Indian Rupees (around $6.91) per tablet for 100mg and as little as 27 Rupees ($0.35) for sildenafil.
Buying Viagra from an Indian Pharmacy - Risks and Dangers
There are plenty of risks associated with purchasing prescription pharmaceuticals online from offshore websites in India. The two main reasons are the physical tablet itself, and the lack of education by the user.
What’s in the Tablet?
A study was done by the American Journal of Sexual Medicine, where generic sildenafil was purchased from 22 offshore websites. The testing showed that 17 were fake, only four were authentic, and one was an illegal narcotic.
These are disturbing figures. Of the 17 fake products, most contained less than 50% of the active ingredient, but worse, had harmful additives such as gypsum, talc, printer toner, and commercial paint. In addition, some contained other medications like antihypertensive and diabetes medication.
The dangers here are that consuming the tablet, also means ingesting the harmful extras. Anybody currently taking diabetic medicine would have double-dosed and ended up in intensive care. These pills are often produced in illicit drug labs, hence why 1 was accidentally one of those products shipped in error. Admittedly, four tablets were the real thing, but at a rate of 18% that’s a minimal number, meaning the risk of receiving another product is much higher.
How Much Do You Know?
One of the main reasons for a drug to be classified as prescription-only is because the user needs to be well educated about any side effects, interactions, or contraindications. By skipping this conversation with a medical professional and sourcing the medication online, this puts the patient at a higher risk of complications. For example, ED medications should not be taken with blood pressure or nitrates medication. An uninformed user could accidentally combine these two drugs, with devastating results.
These drugs are also unsuitable for persons under 18, or pregnant or breastfeeding women. As anybody can order online, the pills could easily be purchased by people who shouldn’t be taking them.
There is also no ‘one-dosage-fits-all’ standard with ED drugs. Without a doctor’s advice or a prescription, the patient is left to determine how to take it by themselves. Self-dosing is extremely dangerous as too much can bring on, or increase the side effects, often with deadly results. These pills are often produced in illicit drug labs, hence why 1 was accidentally one of those products shipped in error.
Risking inferior or illicit products, and making your own decisions about how to take medications, is a dangerous activity, and should not be done.
Is Cheap Viagra from India Legal in the USA?
Procuring medications from overseas without a prescription and having them shipped to the USA is an illegal activity.
Every product that crosses the border is subject to customs inspection. If officers discover this product and have your contact details, you could face hefty fines or jail time. Of course, not every single item is rigorously screened, and some get through. But is it worth the risk, to secure your medicine this way?
Is Generic Viagra from India Available in the USA?
Sildenafil (generic Viagra) manufactured in India is not available to buy in the USA. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) strictly regulates what medications can be sold. The reason for this is to protect the health and well being of US citizens.
Alternative to Buying Viagra From India - Online Doctor
By far the safest way to purchase Viagra in the USA is from your local pharmacy, or online via a telehealth service. There are numerous accredited online pharmacies available to assist with giving you a prescription and even providing the medication at the same time.
What Are the Benefits?
One of the many reasons someone chooses not to visit their local doctor is the issue of time and convenience. People don’t want to take time out of their busy day to sit in a waiting room and face delays in meeting a medical professional.
Online doctors work extended hours so that applications can be made after business hours, from the comfort and privacy of your home.
For some, talking about ED is not a comfortable situation, hence why some patients don’t discuss this with their family physician. An online doctor is an anonymous person who you don’t personally know, and often it feels more comfortable to talk to a person like that about this topic. These doctors specialize in this field and can answer any questions that you may have.
Receiving the medicine is quick. Online doctors have partner pharmacies who can arrange speedy delivery of your medication, organized at the same time as the consultation.
Finally, in most cases, getting a prescription online is much more cost-effective than meeting with a traditional GP. Often, if you purchase the pharmaceutical from them directly, the fee is reduced further or waived.
How to Tell If a Site Is Legitimate
There are a number of ways you can be sure that the online pharmacy is safe, ensure that they:
- Have a local address in the USA
- Have a contact phone number
- Have biographies of the doctors on the site
- The website is listed on the National Association of Boards Pharmacy website
- The website is professionally presented with no mistakes in grammar and broken links
How Does an Online Prescription Service Work?
Once you’ve determined that the online pharmacy is above board, you can begin the prescription process. It’s relatively easy and doesn’t take very long.
Step 1 – You’ll need to complete an online form about your current medical situation. It’s vital that you are upfront and honest here. Include any pre-existing conditions and medications that you regularly take. Failure to disclose this kind of information could lead to issues of contraindications or harmful side effects.
Step 2 – A doctor will contact you to discuss your application. In some states of the US, by law, this must be a video call. The medical professional will ask further questions to determine the right course of action.
Step 3 – Once the medication is agreed on the doctor will generate a prescription. You have two options here. The doctor will have a partner pharmacy who can provide the medicines to you via their delivery service. Alternatively, they can forward the prescription to a local pharmacy of your choice for you to collect the drugs at your convenience.
Saving money and avoiding the uncomfortable conversation are not valid reasons to buy illegal, potentially life-threatening medications from places like India. For peace of mind, make contact with a medical professional to ensure the product is right for you. Purchase it from a licensed pharmacy, off or online, to guarantee you are getting precisely what you are paying for.
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- Report Suspected Unlawful Sales of Pharmaceutical Drugs on the Internet
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