20/11/2024
A SIDE EFFECT THAT CHANGED LIVES: THE BIRTH OF VI**RA
Sildenafil was originally developed by Pfizer to treat hypertension and angina (chest pain caused by heart disease). During the clinical trials, the pharmacists and researchers noticed something unusual: the men participating in the study kept coming back for more sildenafil, day after day, without fail.
Curious, the researchers decided to investigate. They approached one elderly volunteer who was particularly consistent and asked him, “What’s going on? Why do you never miss a dose?” Like the others, he simply laughed and replied, “You really don’t know?”
It turned out that sildenafil had an unexpected side effect—it induced erections by increasing blood flow to the p***s. At the time, no standard medication addressed this issue. Recognizing its potential, Pfizer repurposed sildenafil citrate from a heart medication to a treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED), primarily in older men. It was later branded as VI**RA, revolutionizing the field of men’s health.
