According to researchers, the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) is high enough across the whole globe: for example, in Europe, its rate reaches up to about 76%, in Africa ― up to about 59%, in Asia ― up to about 71%, in Oceania ― up to about 60%, in North America ― up to about 58%, in South America ― up to about 55%. Certainly, those figures can differ significantly from the real situation, since many men prefer to keep their sex problems to themselves and feel too uncomfortable to discuss such intimate issues with anyone, including doctors.

What to Do if You Suspect that You Have Erectile Dysfunction?

First of all, let us define what erectile dysfunction is. Erectile dysfunction is the condition when a man cannot reach or maintain an erection, which is strong enough to have sufficient sexual intercourse.

Sure, due to stress, tiredness, or other factors, a man can face sexual failures from time to time, but, if those accidents get frequent or regular, that situation requires decisive steps. Evidently, the first step to take is to make an appointment with the doctor. No doubt, it may seem to be awkward, but you cannot fix that problem on your own, you need professional support.

So, if it turns out that you really suffer from ED, you are likely to get a prescription for special medication. The good news is that most ED medicines start working from the very first pill, which means that you will probably get back to an enjoyable and carefree sex life as soon as you buy the product recommended. Sure, there is a risk that the medication selected by your doctor will not work for you, but there still will be a wide range of other ED drugs to try.

And the bad news is that brand medicines for treating ED are costly enough. And, furthermore, such drugs do not actually cure erectile dysfunction, they just help you overcome its negative symptoms and consequences for a certain period of time, which ranges from several hours up to a couple of days, depending on the active substance used. Consequently, you will need to take them on a regular basis ― on each day, when you plan to have sex, which means regular expenses as well. Still, there is an easy and effective solution to that problem ― to opt for generic drugs for erectile dysfunction, instead of brand ones.

What Are Generic ED Medications?

Generics are the copies of brand medicines that are produced by other pharma companies in compliance with original formulas, which means that they are almost equivalent to original products.

To clarify, here is the list of common characteristics of brand medications and their generic alternatives:

  • an active substance;
  • dosage strength (still, in many cases companies producing generics offer a wider selection of doses in order to meet the needs of every patient);
  • a mechanism of action;
  • therapeutic effects;
  • adverse side effects (meanwhile, in some cases an original formula may be modified in order to reduce the number of side effects or to make them less intense);
  • drug interactions.

Let us discuss the legendary ED medication Viagra as an example. This medication contains Sildenafil as an active ingredient and helps men to overcome symptoms of ED by increasing blood flow in a penis and, consequently, making erections easier to reach and to maintain, as well as enhancing their firmness. On the market, there are dozens of generic versions of this popular medicine. And these copies contain the same active ingredient Sildenafil and work in an identical way by providing a proper blood flow in a penis.

Also, there is no difference in indications, contraindications, side effects, drug interactions, or terms of use. At the same time, by switching to Generic Viagra, a man gets an opportunity to choose from a wider selection of dosages (which can reach up to 800mg per pill!) and pharmaceutical forms, including soft tablets, capsules with gel and even oral jelly. And that is complemented by the price, which is reduced by several times! So, it is not surprising that many men prefer to take advantage of benefits, provided by Generic Viagra products, instead of overpaying for the well-known brand name.

Is It Safe to Use Generic Medications for Treating ED?

In fact, most prejudices against generics are associated with their low price, which seems suspicious to some consumers. But, in practice, there is nothing to worry about. Brand ED medications and their generic versions are equally safe and effective, there is no difference in quality.

In fact, today, the majority of doctors and patients from all over the world opt for generic medications. So, in 2018, 81% of medications sold in the United States were generic, in Canada that rate reached 76%, in Mexico ― 65%, in Australia ― 60%, in South Korea ― 55%, in the United Kingdom ― 71%, in Germany ― 77%, in France ― 60%.

So, why are generics so affordable? The reason is that their production requires fewer investments. Above all, in the majority of cases, companies producing generics do not conduct any researching or developing, they use formulas, invented by original manufacturers, although, as it has been noted above, they can change pharmaceutical forms or dosages. Besides, such producers do not have to spend huge sums of money on advertising: if an original drug is popular enough, its generic versions will also enjoy great demand. In addition, in many cases, generics are manufactured in countries, characterized by low salary and price levels, in order to reduce the final cost of a product. As a result, companies manufacturing generics can easily set prices that are several times lower than those of brand medications.

The same concerns Canadian pharmacies. The reliable pharma distributors have a lot of room to play with theprices because they order large supplies of drugs and want win back the investments. Their brand ED pills are still expensive, while generics such like Viagra can be retail very cheap. Thus, many people show a tendency to switch from local pharmacies to online retailers of meds.

Useful Tips on Buying and Using Generic ED Medications

  • Start with having a consultation with a doctor. You should never use ED medicines without getting the specialist’s approval: the majority of such products have a wide range of contraindications and dangerous side effects. Besides, they are not compatible with certain categories of medications.
  • Discuss the use of generics with your doctor. Do not hesitate to tell the specialist that you prefer to use more affordable alternatives and to ask for his advice.
  • To buy generic ED medications at the lowest reasonable price, turn to an online pharmacy. As a rule, using such platforms provides a customer with a whole bunch of advantages.
  • To choose the suitable generic, search by the name of the active ingredient. Generic products are usually named differently.
  • Stick to the dosage strength recommended by the doctor. Do not exceed it, regardless of the effect it produces.
  • Be sure to scrutinize the list of auxiliary components, before using any new medication. The point is that companies producing generics can add different flavorings or colorants. Sure, such ingredients do not affect effectiveness in any way, but they can cause allergic reactions. So, be careful.
  • It is OK if a generic looks different. Regardless of its shape or color, it will still work in the same way.
  • If there are alternative pharmaceutical forms available, take advantage of that. For example, Viagra is available in the form of oral jelly, along with other pharmaceutical forms. Such a product can be taken without water, which means that you can do that without attracting the partner’s attention if you feel confused because of your sex problems.
  • After switching to a generic ED medicine, you can keep on taking it as you have already got used to. If there is no difference in the dosage strength between a brand medication and a generic, there is no need to change your habits. Brand ED drugs and generics are interchangeable.

As you can see, there is no sense in spending huge sums of money on a brand ED medication, when there is a generic version available on the market. Make a try, and you will see that for yourself.