Female Viagra on way

By NAOMI LARKIN

The sale of a cream claimed to enhance women's sexual pleasure has been masterminded by a woman jailed for a $US7.5 million ($17.6 million) health and insurance scam.

Mycreme, previously known as Viacreme, is due to go on sale in New Zealand soon.

Marketing meetings for distributors of the cream dubbed the "female Viagra" have been held around the country.

Developed by American obstetrician and gynaecologist Ronald James Thompson, the cream has allegedly netted millions of dollars since it went on sale in the US this year.

American Lisa Faeder Grossmann devised the sales and distribution plan for US company Lexxus International, the exclusive worldwide marketer of the cream.

In 1997 Grossmann, then 34, was sentenced to 21 months' jail and her mother, Leatrice Faeder, was fined $US200,000 for their participation in a scheme in which more than $US7 million was stolen from health insurers.

Maurie Hay, understood to be the main distributor of the cream in New Zealand, would only confirm he was a distributor but said distribution in this country was controlled by Australia. He refused to give any contact details for representatives in Australia or return any further calls.

Marketed as "Womanhood ... the way it was meant to be", Mycreme is a topical cream to be applied to a woman's clitoris.

The cream, which is prescription-free and not classed as a drug, is packaged in "pillow packs" of various sizes. Its suggested retail price is $US11.95 for a tiny tube about 2ml in size.

A Ministry of Health spokeswoman said it had not been approached by anyone distributing the cream.

Any products that make therapeutic claims are considered to be a medicine under the Medicines Act and the distributor would have to apply to the minister to market the product.