One would certainly be well within the boundaries of objective judgment by saying that Viagra is the most popular impotence treatment in the world. And we’re not talking just about its efficiency, but also about its popularity, the iconic image of “the little blue pill”, the countless Viagra references in numerous TV shows and movies, the fact that wherever you go in the world, if you said Viagra out loud, there are good chances that people around would know what you mean.

But, this is when the problem arises – once certain products become brands, whether it is medicine or something far less serious, there are good chances that a significant percentage of the total price is actually the price of the “name”, of the brand. Of course, when we talk about, let’s say, luxury goods, brand name implies quality and longevity; it establishes a kind of confidence. But is the same true for medicines?

Let’s take a look at the case of generic Viagra, usually marketed under the name sildenafil. Are there any downsides to it and how does it compare to branded Viagra?

What’s on this page?

What exactly is generic Viagra?

Generic Viagra, usually marketed simply under the name sildenafil is a non-branded version of Pfizer’s Viagra. This means that it contains the same active ingredient, namely, sildenafil, in the same ratio with other ingredients. Bottom line is – aside from the difference in name, Viagra and its generic version are virtually identical substances for all intents and purposes.

However, the generic version, being relatively new on the market as compared to the branded version, has not yet received the same amount of praise and media attention as Viagra. But for customers in need of ED treatment, generic Viagra was a huge change that allowed them to get the treatment they are used to, but at a significantly lower price. Both generic and branded version of Viagra (sildenafil in case of a generic version) can be purchased online, both are prescription-only impotence pills and both are available in same dosages, for the same problem.

How was Sildenafil discovered?

The story of Viagra begun in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with the growing interest of the scientific community in the physiological causes of erectile dysfunction, and more specifically, in the town of Sandwich, Kent, in one of numerous Pfizer’s research and development facilities.

A number of medical experts and highly experienced chemists were working on a medicine for the treatment of angina pectoris and blood clots and it was only after clinical trials that they were made aware about an unexpected side effect of the substance they just discovered. Compound UK/92,480, as it would seem, was not so good at treating cardiovascular problems, but it was rather efficient… At doing some other things.

Compound UK/92,480 was named sildenafil and patented in 1996 under the name Viagra. By 1998, both FDA and EMA approved the newly discovered medicine for human use and the rest is history. For the next 15 years, Pfizer was the only company licenced to manufacture Viagra.

When did generic Viagra appear?

But, that changed in 2013, when the patent expired on Viagra, making it legal for other pharmaceutical companies to manufacture the generic version. Naturally, the generic Viagra stormed the markets and achieved great success, mostly due to the fact that it relied on the same active ingredient and was manufactured the same way as Viagra, but in a generic version, the price didn’t reflect the brand, making it significantly cheaper. This is why for many men all over the world buying generic Viagra became the norm.

Can I buy generic Viagra without prescription?

Just like the branded version, generic Viagra is a prescription-only medicine, too. Any offers to buy generic Viagra without prescription you might encounter online are straight out fake – either it’s an illegally obtained batch of medicine or a different compound that is not regulated. In either case, the best thing you can do is avoid those offers since they can prove to be very dangerous, both in terms of legal implications and your health.

So, in order to buy generic Viagra, you have to go through a certified medical professional, just like with the branded version. Once the doctor is sure that you’re suitable for sildenafil treatment, he will issue you a prescription which you can use to obtain the medicine from a pharmacy.

As mentioned before, alternatively you can choose to buy sildenafil online, through an online clinic, but even then, the same principle applies. You’ll be asked to fill out a questionnaire which certified medical professional will then use to determine whether you’re suitable for treatment. Once prescription is issued this way, you can legally buy the medicine – with the specifics depending on the business model of online clinic of your choice.

What’s the difference between generic Viagra and branded Viagra?

As mentioned, branded Viagra and generic sildenafil are virtually the same substances and as such, they share almost all of their properties, including the available dosages, active ingredient, side effects, precautions, interactions, mechanism of action etc. What is usually different is the shape and colour of the pill (although, to tell the truth, most manufacturers of generic Viagra try to mimic the well-known “blue pill” look). The thing that should be of concern for you is that generic versions can sometimes contain trace amounts of other substances – either those which are made using the same equipment, or those which don’t have any effect, but are added to the medicine in order to manage the concentration of the active ingredient.

If this is the case, there is a risk of an allergic reaction to those substances, but their presence should be indicated in the leaflet of the medicine. In addition to that, the doctor that will issue the prescription will inform you if the brand of generic Viagra currently available contains any other substance that might cause some problems.