Description

What is Viagra Connect?

Viagra Connect is the same as ordinary Viagra, but in a pack that can be supplied by pharmacies over the counter without a prescription. The active ingredient is called sildenafil. Sildenafil is available at a lower price than both Viagra Connect and Viagra.

Viagra Connect is available only in 50mg strength, in packs of 4 or 8 tablets.

Viagra and sildenafil are available in 25mg, 50mg, and 100mg strengths in packs of 4 and 8, but more than one pack at a time can be supplied by Dr Fox.

Sildenafil is the generic version of Viagra.

It is the same medicine with the same effects, but generic sildenafil is significantly lower cost. Most men have switched away from taking Viagra to taking sildenafil due to the big cost savings.

Further medicines information can be found on the Dr Fox Viagra and sildenafil pages.

Viagra Connect is sildenafil 50mg or Viagra 50mg branded and supplied differently. Sildenafil and Viagra require a prescription, which can be an electronic prescription, Viagra Connect does not.

How to buy Viagra Connect

 To obtain Viagra Connect men must undergo an assessment. This assessment can be carried out online, or by a pharmacist in-store. The in-store assessment may require an appointment.

Dr Fox provides an online assessment for Viagra Connect and other erectile dysfunction treatments. At the end of the online assessment, a range of erectile dysfunction medicines can be requested, including low-cost sildenafil or Viagra Connect, Viagra. Alternative treatments Cialis, Levitra, and Spedra are also available. All strengths and various quantities and combinations can be requested.

Medical checks for erectile dysfunction

Before requesting treatment from Dr Fox, men must read the medical information which provides background information about erectile dysfunction and its treatment.

Men with erectile dysfunction must be properly assessed and advised about treatment. This includes consulting a doctor before obtaining treatment online.

Why can Viagra Connect be supplied without a prescription?

Pfizer, the pharmaceutical company that developed Viagra, successfully applied to the UK medicines licensing authority, the MHRA, to supply sildenafil 50mg directly from pharmacies over the counter. Pfizer was able to make the case that sildenafil could be supplied safely without the need for a prescription, but instead with a check from an in-store pharmacist. Sildenafil has few common serious side effects and interactions and is usually an effective medicine.

This does not mean erectile dysfunction (ED) is not a significant medical condition that can cause considerable distress. It also does not mean men with ED do not need a full medical assessment, which might include investigations and tests. ED can be a sign of underlying problems with circulation or several other medical conditions.

How do erectile dysfunction medicines work?

Both Viagra and Viagra Connect are brand names for a medicine, the medical name of which is sildenafil. Sildenafil works by changing blood flow in the penis during sexual stimulation. It does this by inhibiting an enzyme called phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5). It is a PDE5 inhibitor.

Other treatments for erectile dysfunction such as Cialis (tadalafil), Levitra (vardenafil), and Spedra (avanafil), are also PDE5 inhibitors. The main difference between these treatments is the duration of action. They stay active for different lengths of time: 1 tablet of Viagra or Viagra Connect (sildenafil) will last about 4 hours; Spedra (avanafil) also lasts about 4 hours; Levitra (vardenafil) for about 4-5 hours; and Cialis (tadalafil) for about 36 hours.

Advantages of Viagra Connect

Men who need erectile dysfunction treatment straight away, the same day, can now go to a pharmacy for their tablets. They might need to make an appointment and would need an in-store assessment, but potentially it is same-day treatment. Dr Fox usually can provide next-day delivery for orders made in the morning, but not the same day.

Disadvantages of Viagra Connect

• The main disadvantage is cost. Viagra Connect is a 50mg tablet of sildenafil (around £4 each), and sildenafil 50mg can be bought online for a lot less (around £1.31 each). The saving is considerable (see prices above).
• If obtained online, the treatment is delivered by post with a signature required. This saves a trip to a pharmacy.
• Some men may prefer not to have to have a face-to-face pharmacy assessment to obtain treatment.
• Men can obtain different strengths of tablets online, not just 50mg tablets. 50mg of sildenafil is the usual starting dose, but some men require 100mg or 25mg. Dr Fox supplies 25mg, 50mg, and 100mg tablets.
• Viagra Connect is available from pharmacies only in packs of 4 or 8 tablets. Greater quantities are available online, and combinations of different strengths and alternative treatments.