A NEW drug to help treat erectile dysfunction will go on sale in pharmacies today.
Cialis will be available without a prescription from thousands of Boots stores, after health chiefs ruled it safe to take without seeing a doctor in March.
It is the second over-the-counter pill for erectile dysfunction in Britain, with Viagra getting the green light in 2018.
Cialis can last up to 36 hours — much longer than the four hours offered by the blue pill — and pharmacists are encouraging men who are struggling with ED to come forward.
Boots pharmacist Vuyani Chinyowa said: “Most men have difficulties getting or keeping an erection at some point in their lives and is nothing to be embarrassed about.
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“If you have any concerns, you can visit your local pharmacy for a private chat for advice and to find what over-the-counter treatments might help you.
“If you continue to have problems getting an erection on a regular basis, you should speak again to your local pharmacist or GP as soon as possible.
“Erection difficulties can be a symptom of an underlying medical condition so it’s really important to get this checked out.”
Reducing your weight, quitting smoking and lowering how much you drink could all help stave off ED, he said.
Around 16.5million men in Britain are affected by the condition, with around half of those aged 40 to 70 blighted by it.
The NHS last year spent £18.3million on prescriptions for meds to treat it.
Over-18s will now be able to buy pills called Cialis Together after a private chat with a pharmacist, not a GP.
They work by blocking an enzyme called PDE5, which helps relax veins and arteries and boosts blood flow to the penis to give stronger erections.
It costs £21.99 for a pack of four tablets and £37 for a pack of eight.
Kristie Sourial, of Sanofi, which is the licence holder for Cialis Together, said: “When a person experiences erectile dysfunction it can have a negative impact on their sex life and lead them to be hesitant and anxious to engage in sexual intercourse with their partner.
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“The addition of a new, self-care option that is accessible in UK pharmacies is beneficial in helping men with erectile dysfunction to manage their condition.”
