Use of Viagra (Sildenafil) across Denmark

Ever since it first appeared on the markets, Viagra achieved amazing and widespread popularity all across the globe. By taking a look at the statistics detailing the sales of this medicine in the previous years, we can reconstruct the journey “little blue pill” took from a cutting-edge new discovery in the field of impotence treatment, to one of the most recognizable medicines of the 21^st century.

This short research becomes even more interesting once we take into account not only the variations in the monthly sales of Viagra, but also their relationship to the sales of Sildenafil, the generic version of Viagra that became available once Pfizer’s patent expired, in 2013. With the same active ingredient and, by extension, the same effectiveness and reliability, generic Viagra (Sildenafil) became an ED pill of choice for many due to its lower price as compared to branded version.

What’s on this page?

Background of the Statistical Analysis

Starting from the fact that both Viagra and its generic version, usually sold as Sildenafil are both based on the same active ingredient and therefore share all of their properties, we will treat both medicines as essentially the same product when it comes to discussing its popularity throughout Denmark. However, by comparing the sales of the two, we can, at the same time, see how generic Sildenafil can impact the sales of the branded Viagra and vice versa.

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the statistics behind the use of Viagra in Denmark.

Viagra in Denmark – 2013/2014

 *Data taken from esundhed.com

In the first quarter of 2013 Viagra and generic Sildenafil were relatively even in terms of sales. This is the period when generic Viagra first appeared on the markets, so we can deduce that even in its earliest days, a more affordable version of Viagra was a significant success. As the months go buy, we can see that, despite some minor fluctuations, sales of generic Sildenafil seem to continuously grow, overtaking Viagra from the very start of the year. Generic version reached maximum sales by the end of 2014, topping at 1.288.456 sold medicines within the last quarter of 2014. It would seem that Danes were all too glad to see that a more affordable, yet equally efficient version of Viagra appeared on their markets and wasted no time to reap the benefits.

Viagra in Denmark 2015/2016

In the beginning of 2015 the same trend continued. The first quarter of this year was marked by further decrease in Viagra sales – by 2000 as compared to the last quarter of 2014. In this year, there were some more noticeable fluctuations in sales, especially pronounced in the sudden growth of sales from last quarter of 2015 to the first quarter of 2016.

With the mean number of Viagra sales in these two years averaging 17.840, “the little blue pill” remains far below generic Sildenafil’s mean 1.526.438 sales for the first period. So, statistics clearly show that ever since generic version of Viagra appeared, Danish men embraced the new medicine, allowing it to top Viagra sales month after month.

Viagra sales in Denmark in 2017

The data that is now available to the public doesn’t include the last quarter of the year, as of now, but, we can take a look at the trends in the first three quarters to see if they follow the pattern that has already been discussed.

It seems that the statistics again tell the same story – branded Viagra sales in Denmark decreasing, while the demand for generic version, Sildenafil, is steadily on the rise. With these clear regularities, we can assume that the same trend was visible in the in the last quarter of 2017 too and will probably continue throughout 2018.

Use of Viagra in Denmark – What can we learn?

Judging by the statistical reports described here, we can make several conclusions. First of all, it is clear that demand for ED treatment in Denmark is steadily on the rise – this can be either due to the increased prevalence of impotence or because of the increased awareness about the potential treatments, with affordable price of generic version playing an important role.

Both assumptions can be easily true, and the statistical report can be result of an interaction between the two. On one hand, it numerous studies have shown that modern sedentary lifestyle, marked by lack of physical activity, bad and unhealthy dietary choices can be linked to impotence through conditions such as diabetes or high cholesterol. These diseases are directly caused by the fast-paced lifestyle of the 21^st century and have been listed as common underlying causes of impotence.

On the other hand, erectile dysfunction is, year after year, less of a taboo topic, so this issue is increasingly discussed, leading to widespread knowledge about potential treatments. With amazing popularity of Viagra throughout the world, it’s almost impossible not to be familiar with “the little blue pill”. And as the stigma that accompanies ED slowly disappears, more and more men decide to find suitable treatment for that condition.

Viagra vs Sildenafil in Denmark

Before giving any more detailed conclusions on this topic, it is important to note that once Pfizer’s Viagra patent expired, generic versions could finally reach the markets completely legally. In order to do that, the new manufacturers needed to pass through strict quality control procedures and prove that their product is virtually identical to the branded version. This means that generic Sildenafil on the Danish market is based on the same active ingredient, in the same concentration and is available in the same doses, with same efficiency and same potential downsides.

So, with the price being the only real difference between branded and generic Viagra (aside from the manufacturer), it would seem that men in Denmark are very mindful of their budget when it comes to impotence pill. The popularity of generic version was high from the very beginning of its market presence in 2013 and is on a steady rise ever since. What this means is that Danes rely on the EU legal framework that will ensure uncompromising quality of generic drugs while lowering the price.