Viagra Use Among Young Men Rises To New Heights

From a press release by Express Scripts which is “charting the future of pharmacy”: The use of Viagra (sildenafil) has grown more than three-fold among younger men since it entered the market, according to a study published today in the International Journal of Impotence Research. The study is the first to profile trends in the use of Viagra using prescription claim information from a random, nationwide sample.

The study by Express Scripts examined Viagra use among more than 5 million commercially insured adult beneficiaries 18 years and older from 1998 to 2002. The fastest growing segments of users were found to be men 18 to 45 years and 46 to 55 years, who experienced increases in use of 312% and 216%, respectively, over the study period. In addition, use for an underlying medical reason declined in all age groups over the five years. These findings suggest increased use of Viagra as an enhancement or recreational agent.  Overall, use increased from 0.8% of the sample population in 1998 to 1.4% in 2002, an 84% increase. Men 56 years and older continued to receive the majority of Viagra prescriptions. In contrast with greater use among younger men, growth in use slowed among women and older men.

With healthcare resources becoming more scarce, debate continues over the coverage of lifestyle medications such as Viagra. “Already concerned with the impact Viagra has had on their pharmacy budgets, health plan sponsors now face the prospect of increased use among a younger, healthier generation of patients,” said Tom Delate, Ph.D., lead author of the study. “In addition, marketing approval of other erectile dysfunction drugs, such as Levitra(R) and Cialis(R), will likely increase utilization of such drugs.”

The coverage of erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs by prescription benefit plans varies widely, with some plans having no restrictions on coverage, others requiring prior authorization for medical necessity or placing quantity limits, and others offering no coverage. In one finding, the use of quantity limits by plan sponsors can mitigate the effects of increased demand for ED drugs.

23 thoughts on “Viagra Use Among Young Men Rises To New Heights”

  1. .
    …to comment on your motivation(s) for voting to post it… ;]

    I’m biting my typing fingers… argh…

    jon

  2. but who am I to question high tech?  Just wondering where the poll is for this article,  rj
    :-)

  3. .
    The Thrill is gone by BB King, Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me by Mel Carter, Thriller by Michael Jackson, You Thrill Me by the Everly Brothers, You’re My Thrill by Ella Fitzgerald, by , After The Thrill Is Gone by The Eagles, and undoubtedly many, many more…

    jon

  4. for Alabama poll voters:

    *Repeal of the sex toy sale bill

    Y’all come on down or over to Alabama.  But BYOT :-)

    Open-mindedness R US.

  5. ..from ridiculous expectations get what they deserve.

    Here again, we seem to have the option to mess around with our individual body chemistry, or not.  Unless it’s in the water, of course.

    Shumuley Boteach said in his recent article “Elizabeth Edwards and America’s war on heavy women”: “Indeed, Dr. James Watson, the Nobel prize-winning geneticist who was jointly responsible for discovering the structure of DNA and who died just last month, maintained that plumper women
    were more likely to enjoy a better sex life than their thin counterparts. He told an audience at University College London that extra pounds had the biological effect of making a woman well-rounded in character and better in bed. “Thinness is never associated with sexuality.”

    He explained that extra fat had the effect of boosting endorphins, the natural mood-enhancing chemical which is also linked to sexual desire. “Kate Moss is probably the most famous thin person in the world and she’s looking particularly sad. Who has ever heard of a happy supermodel?” Watson said. He also argued that leptin, which is made in fat tissue, boosts the chemical MSH, which enhances sexual desire. “Your mood is controlled by endorphins and you make more of these when you are fat, hence nobody has ever drawn Santa Claus thin. Thin people are discontented.”

     

  6. .
    …I had a clue about your comment’s relevance to the article. Your first sentence is judgemental, who’s to say what’s “ridiculous”?

    Your second and third sentences are non-germane.

    Your last two paragraphs are the disjointed ramblings of a man famous for one thing (DNA) but trying to be an expert in something else. Reminds me of many actors, who after playing so many roles feel they must establish their identity by supporting “causes”.

    If I were to combine your “ridiculous expectations” with the discourse for “well-rounded” women, I would suspect you were trying to justify yourself.

    On the other hand, you have a skill for branching off in directions that confounds the average reader (who I hope is like me) or a skill for pointing out things in left field. Keep trying — didn’t Babe Ruth strike out more than he homered?

    jon

  7. well…I can.

    The author was suggesting that AT LEAST half the problem with people (and their need for whatever) is that they almost always want the wrong thing.

    And he is right, of course.

    By denying the importance of this article in the elements of discourse, you are essentially saying that only a man’s thoughts, ambitions and expectations matter.  And that’s pretty much what the article was trying to draw our attention to. Men seem to think that life being all about them will make em happier, even if they have to take drugs or change the other person to get there.  

    Both courses of action would be fallacious, no doubt.  

    And if you thought that I was redirecting the issue onto something else, you’re quite right!  The issue needed to be refocused.  You don’t think that it is at least a little ridiculous to for young men to take Viagra?

    Maybe instead, they should just love their significant other for who they happen to be and save themselves the increased risk of a heart attack AT 25!  

  8. I’ve been a little plump, and I’ve been — not ever THIN– but at least a slender weight for my body build.   I love sex both ways :-).   Yeah, if you don’t eat enough FOOD, you get a little cranky and THAT might impact your sex life, but I really thought you might be implying that fat women make better lovers; therefore, if even these young men sought out fat women, hey, Viagra would be a thing of the past.

    I bet about a million overweight women would appreciate your observations, and I’m a feminist at heart and believe in equal opportunity, sexual fulfillment for women as well as men, the whole ball of wax.   But your comments sound as if men should just be thrilled if they can manage  any  effort, however, er, modest.  I gotta tell you, all those fat women wouldn’t agree with you on THAT PART.

    Viagra for a man has been known to do wonders for his partner’s sex life, too.  So I hear.

  9. .
    …I give up — I have had more relevant discussions with a cat, a dog, and probably a ferret. I’m outa here…

    jon

  10. Viagra for healthy, young men seems like a symptom of a much more serious issue, tho.  If guys are getting involved in all that nonsense when they’re 20, what on earth will they do to find contentment or fullfillment when they’re 50 or 60?

    I’m not a very good feminist, to be honest, Gypsysoul.   But I am entirely for women being treated like whole persons no matter what size they happen to be.   When one sees, for instance,  the situation with Lacy Peterson, one realizes that to some men, their partner is only as worthwhile as she might appear pleasing to him on that day.  Viagra, for healthy men, will further exacerbate the problem of inequality in certain types of relationships, I think.  

    Marking the trend of pregnant wife murders, has it also occurred to anyone how rapidly we’re becoming much like India (and countries like it) in terms of gender relations?  

  11. Just because you don’t understand, doesn’t mean it isn’t relevant.

    For the sake of your sanity, however, I am aware that I’m not proficient or experienced in writing.  And I suppose the way that I approach an idea isn’t always very systematic.  If that is the case, my apologies for the confusion.

     

  12. you appear to be anti-medication, period.  I actually AGREE with you that young, HEALTHY males probably are wasting their time and money popping Viagra pills.  From what I understand, young men usually try it, then realize it doesn’t really do that much to enhance what already functions A-OK.

    It’s your argument that’s bizarre.  You point out the heart attack factor for a 25-year-old Viagra user, but extoll the virtues of overweight females.  An overweight man OR woman has an increased risk of heart attack, too.   You’re implying that overEATING is an acceptable route to self-soothe (and possibly self-destruct), but medication is NOT.

    Seems to me, food can be as poisonous as medication, given the right circumstances.  

  13. As far as I could tell, there was no  suggestion that Ms. Edwards has overeaten.   I thought the article implied that she is being judged by the wrong criteria, and that there are good reasons to not be as thin as American culture seems to think that women should be.   The way I heard it, the birth of her two latest children plus the death of one of her older children, probably caused her to put the few extras pounds on.  

     The good Rabbi also did mention that is was not helpful to be extremely overweight.  All in all, this basically proved that we can adopt lifestyle choices, such as drugs or overeating, which may negatively (or positively) affect our body chemistry.  In short, we really don’t want either overweight persons or recreational drug users to die from heart attacks.  

  14. You posted her comments here, not she.  Certainly, we all have reasons for gaining/losing weight, sustaining/not sustaining  erections… shall I go on?

    You most definitely implied that being overweight (if you are female) is preferable to taking Viagra for improved sex if you are male.

    That’s the short version of it, once we cut through all the rationalizations and warnings about men murdering their pregnant wives, learning to live without “ridiculous” expectations, etc.

    I don’t see what’s so ridiculous about expecting good sex to happen, given the right circumstances.   I doubt seriously that most young men NEED Viagra or even continue to use it consistantly, once they realize they don’t need it.  To those men of ANY age who DO benefit from it, I say, CARRY ON.

  15. You have my number, I suppose. :) I have often tended to be an “enabler” when it comes to food.  

    As an example, there would seldom be a beautiful, luscious type looking pastry that my older sisters would ever have to live without.  (in other words, I find them the best stuff or I’ll make it myself)  And even tho I’m an average weight, if someone who is 5’8 and sz 12 is average, I love to see people, especially people I adore, enjoy good food.  Guess it must be a “mom thing”.

    Enjoying good food with people we love truly can be beneficial for one’s mind and emotions.   But the unnecessary consumption of recreational type drugs really has no sincere comparison to the former activity.  For some reason, in my experience, this category of entertainment almost always places people in an increasingly more selfish mode.

    But if it’s your wish for anyone to be allowed to use whatever drug happens to make em happy, you’re certainly entitled to your opinion.

    After all this discussion on the issue, I have this thing now lodged in my mind of you being an equivalent of a “Viagra (sorta) pastry lady”. ;)

  16. lodged in your mind anything you choose about me.
    Your thinking it doesn’t make it so.

    DRUGS themselves do not make people happy, but I refuse to go through all that again, as it was beaten to death, I THOUGHT, in the comments on depression.

    I think I have probably been called worse in my life than Viagra Pastry Lady.   Come to think of it, that could be a compliment.   I think that’s about all I have to say on this article :-)  

  17. No, Gypsysoul, it was not meant as a cut at all.  

    It’s more than reasonable for people to be optimistic about their personal lives.  And that’s probably why I can’t help but appreciate Dr. Ruth.

    And you’re right.  Probably enough has been said on the issue.  :)

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