Viagra2

Viagra was the harbinger of things to come in the form of the pharmacology of aging and sexuality (sexual medicine is in expansion mode post-Viagra).

All of this is due to a combination of, among other things, changing demographics (e.g. aging population), direct to consumer advertising/ consumer-based medicine (Viagra being one of the first drugs to be advertised directly to the consumer) and pharmaceutical expansion.

It is important to see that Viagra's popularity fits in a particular cultural moment in our history, and there will be/have been plenty of other products to follow (including medications) that emphasize the holy triumvirate: youth, vitality, and performance.

In short, as a sociologist I see Viagra as a cultural product and thus a window onto our culture. It helps us see where we are when it comes to sexuality (and our ambivalence), gender (masculinity and sexual performance packaged together), medicine (quick-fix and lifestyle enhancement emphasis more than ever), and aging (we’re uncomfortable with it but do we all want to be 18 again?).

Pfizer has helped to reinforce these traditional and not-so-traditional ideals with Viagra and it has been fascinating to see how successful they have been here and around the world with this youth, vitality, and performance-based message.

Again, now that the initial curiosity factor has disappeared, it is unclear how successful sexual dysfunction medication really is. Viagra has spurred several like products – Cialis and Levitra. But the refill rate on all three is low.

Viagra is certainly sociologically significant as it has highlighted many social problems in the way we do health and gender and sexuality in our society.

Is Viagra use common within the general population - men of all ages? How does this affect behavior or alter men and women's sexual intimacy?

It is difficult to find demographic information about who uses Viagra, but in Internet chatrooms, doctors' offices, pharmacies, etc. you find men of all ages interested in discussing the drug.

I spoke with young men who had purchased Viagra out of insecurity - a 'just in case' situation where they felt they had to live up to some social standard their first time and had purchased the pills (or borrowed them) to have some assurance of adequate performance.

I also spoke with men in their 80s who felt like it gave them 'life' again.