The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a drug dubbed "female Viagra" to treat a low libido in women. Flibanserin, which will be sold under the brand name Addyi, is said to treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder, an absence of desire for sexual activity in premenopausal women.
Despite the pink pill's nickname, the drug is vastly different from the male Viagra pill. It is more like an antidepressant and works by changing brain chemistry over time, in a similar way to serotonin and dopamine. While male Viagra is taken before engaging in sexual activity to increase blood flow to areas of the body to help treat erectile dysfunction, Flibanserin is to be taken daily to improve sexual desire over time.
"Today's approval provides women distressed by their low sexual desire with an approved treatment option," Janet Woodcock, the director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement. "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."
Flibanserin was created by a German pharmaceutical company called Boehringer Ingelheim and, like the discovery of Viagra, it was a happy accident. It was originally created as an antidepressant but was found to be a poor treatment, then while women were being questioned about their trial experiences, a significant number reported an unexpectedly positive side effect – increased sexual interest and more satisfying sexual experiences than before. Rea More @ ibtimes
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