More Fake Cialis and Viagra Arrests
The World Health Organization research show that 10% of all drugs are counterfeit and in many developing countries the percent goes up to 50%.
Arthur J. Katsanos head of U.S.-based Eli Lilly & Co. said that counterfeit drugs are very hard to track, detect and investigate but there are indications that this business is rapidly growing in Korea.
Korea have the tenth largest pharmaceutical market in the world worth over $9 billion. Since 1990 many pharmaceuticals firms from US and Europe had established over 40 joint ventures in Korea. Us and Europe pharmaceuticals companies controls about 60% from all Korean drugs market.
Korean joint ventures mostly manufacture generic drugs. The majority of those generic drugs have expired patents. In 2003 Korea imported pharmaceuticals worth of $1.1 billion and exports accounting for $400 million. The big size of the market for pharmaceutical products has attracted distributors of fake medicines.
Two weeks ago Korean police mounted raids on 123 pharmacies form Seoul and surrounding areas. More then 150 million fake Viagra and Cialis pills were seized. International companies Eli Lilly and Pfizer Inc. requested to the Korean govern and local authority to take action. The counterfeited Cialis and Viagra are very hard to spot, the aspect is similar and medicines that do not work or cause unusual side-effects are rarely ever reported.
In Korea, criminal sanction for violation of trademarks and pharmaceutical affairs law leads to a maximum imprisonment up to seven years and penalty up to 100 million Won.
Administrative sanction for violation of the law includes canceling the pharmacy business license for 6 to 15 months or cancellation depending on repeated crimes or value of the products.
"The penalties have to be much more stringent to deter anyone from dealing with counterfeit drugs. Like narcotics, fake drugs too are life threatening and can cause severe damage to the companies," said Katsanos.
Reports show that over 6 million man used Viagra to treat erectile dysfunction since 1998. Another million men from US had taken Viagra’s competitors Levitra and Cialis but the makers of the drugs have bigger plans for the next years. They are expecting 30 million potential customers that suffers from erectile dysfunction, mostly among the roughly 60 million men over age 40.
Posted by CBlog at 7:57 AM
Fake Cialis and Viagra in South Korea
South Korea police arrested Thursday seven pharmacists who bought and sold fake erectile dysfunction drugs under the name of Cialis and Viagra. 113 others pharmacists were booked without physical detentions.
Police also arrested 2 people identified as Choi and Kang. They are suspected of selling over 9,500 Cialis and Viagra fake pills to South Korean pharmacies. The pills are manufactured in Russia and China and distributed to pharmacies in Seoul and Kyeonggi provincial areas.
They are suspected of smuggling the fake Cialis and Viagra pills through peddlers, who make frequent overseas trips, and supplying them to pharmacies or directly selling to customers.
Posted by CBlog at 4:33 AM
Herbal Cialis, Herbal Viagra, Enzyte - Untested, herbal erectile aids fraught with risk
After Viagra and Cialis the men health market is bombed with herbal alternatives. If not long ago we seen herbal sex aids buried in the back of men's magazines now you can see ads in full-page print displays, as well as radio commercials and television. Having aggressive and convincing ads that resemble with prescription drugs one herbal enchantment product named Enzyte even sponsors NASCAR drivers.
Internet facilitate the purchase of all sorts of herbal product. Only with a few clicks you can purchase herbal pills and potions. Many doctors are concerned that herbal sex aids may be a gamble with your health and money due to the lack of testing, science and regulation of this products.
Neil Fleshner of Toronto's Princess Margaret Hospital made a research on a herbal sex aid product named PC-Spes. The tests show that in this products there are traces of synthetic drugs that are used to fight cancer. PC-Spes officials affirmed that they do not know how the adulteration occurred.
Another test performed by Neil Fleshner and colleagues on several products purchased from the Internet after searching for “herbal Viagra” reviled that a product contain Viagra and another product contain tracers of Cialis. Products were sold as herbal sex enchanters and they were not label containing Tadalafil – active ingredient in Cialis and Sildenafil – active ingredient in Viagra. Taking this kind of substances that are included in Cialis and Viagra can be toxic and even fatal to men that are taking other drugs that have nitrates.
Neil Fleshner affirmed that the problem of adulterated herbs may be widespread. The processors in Asia may add Cialis and Viagra in this herbs to increase the potency and efficacy.
"I suspect this has been ... a dirty secret in this industry for a long time."
The law in US and in many countries allow companies to sell herbal supplements witch at least in theory contain only herbal products. This products do not require to be tested before putting them on the market. Dr. Ira Sharlip, spokesman for the American Urological Association, say that there are not actual facts that this herbal products are effective.
Sharlip concedes that there can be some herbs that can actually improve men sexual life but with the lack of clinical tests there is difficult to tell witch. There are only a few herbal supplements that were tested properly on humans.
“Herbal Viagra” and “Herbal Cialis” ads have slick sales pitches. Almost all sites contain testimonials of satisfied customers. Even if the testimonials are true the respective companies don't prove that the herbal sex aids contain potency improving ingredients, says Dr. Robert A. Kloner.
Some cases of erectile dysfunction are psychological in origin. The placebo effect can help men that are using herbal sex aids. In clinical trials on Viagra and Cialis there is a notable placebo effect. In clinical trials 25% of men that take sugar placebo pills have improved erections affirmed Dr. Robert A. Kloner. Dr. Robert A. Kloner is director of research at the Heart Institute of Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles.
Erectile dysfunction can be caused, beside psychological in origin problems, by the low flow of blood in arteries. Erectile dysfunction can be a early warning sign for heart disease, especially for men over 40 or 50. research show that 75% of men with chronic coronary artery disease suffer from erectile dysfunction.
Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals, a Cincinnati company that produce Enzyte was sued by a law firm in March. The firm is accused of duping men into believing the product increases penis size by one to three inches. Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals is accused that thayr ads have an "unfair, deceptive and fraudulent" message in promoting Enzyte. One of the sales pitch is that Enzyte "helps support firmer, fuller-feeling, better quality erections."
Urologists agree that there is a real value in herbs but until there are more clinical tests made on humans it is unsafe to use them. An unanimous advice given by urologist is to consult your physician before taking any erectile dysfunction treatment including Viagra, Levitra, Cialis or herbal sex aids.
Posted by CBlog at 1:30 PM
Lilly ICOS' Cialis(R) Makes Impressive Strides in First Six Months on the U.S. ED Treatment Market
Lilly ICOS LLC, a joint venture between Eli Lilly and Company and ICOS Corporation, new product Cialis challenges Viagra on the erectile dysfunction market. Research show that more and more urologists are prescribing Cialis instead of Viagra in new erectile dysfunction treatment initiations.
ImpactRx™ a market research firm (which tracks the habits of a panel of high prescribing physicians and may reflect emerging trends in doctors' offices today) show that Cialis represent 56% of the new erectile dysfunction treatment initiations by urologists in April compared with 23% Viagra (sidefil citrate) and 21 percent for Levitra® (vardenafil HCl).
In April almost 70% of men that switch to another erectile dysfunction treatment switched to Cialis. Following the information from ImpactRx on share of new prescriptions written in April by doctors changing their patients' ED treatment from one product to another.
Primary Care Physicians - New erectile dysfunction treatment prescription
Cialis 60%
Levitra 36%
Viagra 4%
Urologists - New erectile dysfunction treatment prescription
Cialis 69%
Levitra 26%
Viagra 5%
In an independent clinical test men affirmed that the first reason of switching to Cialis is the long lasting effect that Cialis have. The 36 hours effect and mild side effects explain why many man that are using oral treatments to switch to Cialis.
After the first month in the first quarter of 2004 Cialis achieved 108 millions in global sales. Over 2 millions from all over the world used Cialis to treat ED.
After the first month in the first quarter of 2004 Cialis achieved 108 millions in global sales. Over 2 millions from all over the world used Cialis to treat ED. Research show that urologist from all over the world started prescribing Cialis instead Viagra and Levitra.
Posted by CBlog at 7:56 AM
New Analysis of Data Shows That Lilly ICOS' Cialis Significantly Improves Erections for Up to 36 Hours.
British Journal of Urology published a data analyze regarding Cialis Tadalafil PDE5 inhibitor developed by Lilly ICOS LLC (NYSE: LLY; Nasdaq: ICOS). The test was made on over 2000 men in 11 separate Cialis clinical trials. The results shows that Cialis is effective and very well tolerated erectile dysfunction treatment regardless of the severity, cause and age.
Doctor Culley C. Carson, M.D., chief of urology and Rhodes Distinguished Professor, University of North Carolina affirmed that "The combined results of 11 clinical trials make for compelling evidence that Cialis is an effective treatment option for erectile dysfunction for up to 36 hours after taking the tablet,"
The experiment was made on 2010 men the were suffering from mid to severe erectile dysfunction who participated in 11 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials lasting 12 weeks. All the subjects were randomized to receive Cialis and placebo taken without food. The test was made using 10 and 20 mg Cialis pills.
The test data showed that Cialis works form 24 to 46 hours. 71% of all men that used 10 mg Cialis pills had positive results improving their erection. The test that was made on 20 mg Cialis showed better results, over 84% reported improved erections, compared with 33 percent in the placebo group.
The side effects in this test trials were back pain, upset stomach and headache. The side effects were mild to moderate and disappear after the treatment was stopped. Still there was a small number of patients that leaved the tests due to the side effects: (10 mg, 1.6 percent; 20 mg, 3.2 percent). Is very interesting that the discontinuation rate was slightly higher than among those in the placebo group (1.3 percent, p=.026). The test was made on an average 56 years men group. Almost three-quarters of them were taking another medication for another condition, including diabetes and hypertension. In this study 20 percent of the men with ED had diabetes and 29 percent had hypertension.
"This analysis further confirms that the attribute that Cialis provides improvement in erectile function up to 36 hours may give men with ED increased confidence to choose when they engage in sexual intercourse, and thereby potentially allows for more spontaneity within their relationships." - Culley C. Carson, M.D., chief of urology and Rhodes Distinguished Professor, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Posted by CBlog at 11:37 AM
Erectile dysfunction prescription drugs.
Viagra – is the first and the best known PDE inhibitor used to treat impotence in men. Viagra active ingredient is Sildenafil Citrate and can be found in 25mg, 50mg and 100mg oral tablet. Viagra is a Pfizer product approved by FDA on March 27, 1998.
Bayer Pharmaceuticals has launched, as an alternative to Viagra, Levitra. In August 19, 2003, Levitra was approved by FDA. Levitra active ingredient is named Vardenafil. Levitra is available in 2.5, 5, 10, 20 mg oral tablets.
The latest discovery in erectile dysfunction treatment is Cialis. Lilly ICOS LLC newest ED treatment is based on an active ingredient named Tadalafil. From the clinical studies it looks like Cialis better the Viagra and Levitra. Clinical studies showed that Cialis works faster and have a longer action. Comparing to Viagra, Cialis works 5 times longer.
Cialis was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in November 21, 2003. Due the longer action and better response Cialis is quickly gaining ground.
It looks like Pfizer Viagra sales have fallen each of the five months since Cialis aggressive marketing campaign started. Viagra sales dropped 9.1 percent in April from a year ago.
According to Atlanta-based NDCHealth Corp., Viagra sales dropped 25 percent to $220 million in the first quarter.
Posted by CBlog at 12:05 PM
South Africa Viagra gets stiff competition from Cialis
After only 10 months after Lilly ICOS LLC launched Cialis in South Africa the company said that it now has over 45% of R70 million annual market share of the erectile dysfunction drugs. This statement was made by marketing director Jacques Blaauw. South Africa erectile
dysfunction drugs is dominated by Viagra, Levitra and Cialis. It looks like all companies have a strong marketing and promotion campaigns in Europe US and South Africa.
A recent study made in Cape Town showed that over 70% of men between 35 to 70 are suffering from ED. Recent studies show a major health condition like vascular problems and diabetes.
Posted by CBlog at 11:34 AM
Cialis may erase prostate problems
It looks like Cialis has already taken an important share of Viagra sales. In the quarterly-earnings report, Lilly ICOS LLC announced the Cialis may have a potential new use. Cialis can be used for pulmonary hypertension. Also In some tests Cialis had successful results in relaxing the prostate muscles. The tests were made on animal and human.
This new test results open an new market for Lilly ICOS LLC. There are almost 3 million men in the United States and Europe that are suffering from prostate affections.
The current prostate treatment pill cost 1$ to $2 pill. Cialis and Viagra costs from $8 to $10 a pill and have adverse effects on alpha blockers and nitrates. It looks that there is a long way until Cialis will become a standard prostate treatment. However a commune treatment to erectile dysfunction and prostate treatment would appeal to a lot of men.
Posted by CBlog at 11:33 AM
