The Internet and print media were buzzing this past week about the decision by a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel of expert medical reviewers to not recommend approval of Boehringer Ingelheim flibanserin; a new medication to treat female sexual dysfunction or perhaps more apt lack of sexual interest.
Flibanserin was originally developed as an antidepressant but while it failed to treat depression women who participated in clinical trials reported increased sexual interest. The lack of drugs to treat female sexual dysfunction propelled Boehringer to continue to develop flibanserin to treat low libido in women. Previously, drug makers attempted to develop Viagra-like drugs and testosterone patches (testosterone increases sexual desire) to increase female libido—neither worked (without substantial side effects) to warrant approval. The FDA panel decided to not recommend flibanserin for approval because its modest effects on heightening female sexual desire did not outweigh side effects like dizziness and nausea.
A 2005 article in Nature Reviews Drug Discovery suggested that the size of the female sexual dysfunction market in the US could exceed $4 billion annually with only about 15 per cent of patients receiving treatment. Not surprisingly, many pharmaceutical companies have invested billions to develop new drugs to treat this indication.
There is no question that quality of life drugs like Viagra, Latisse and Botox generate billions of dollars in sales each year. While these drugs may help small numbers of patients who truly suffer from serious medical conditions, they are mainly used for so-called recreational purposes (sexual performance and beauty enhancement) by a majority of “patients.” That said, pharmaceutical companies have the right to develop whatever drugs or treatments that they choose. However, I contend that there are more serious medical conditions out there than failure to achieve orgasm or the need to not apply mascara on a daily basis.
Hat tip to Ed at Pharmalot for some outstanding investigative reporting!
Until next time...
Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!!!!
Workplace diversity, whether gender or racial, is critical to the success of any scientific or business venture. Yet, while the number of women entering graduate school in the sciences is now greater than the number of entering male students, tenured male scientists continue to outnumber female scientists at almost every US academic institution. The same is true at most science, technology and engineering companies where the number of male executives and managers far exceeds the number of female ones. Unfortunately, gender inequality in the sciences still exits despite years of concerted efforts to rectify and correct the problem.