Test women give Viagra 4 out of 5

By STAFF REPORTERS and AGENCIES

Viagra, the drug which has helped treat impotent men, could also help women with sexual problems, a study shows.

While there have been accounts of women benefiting from the drug, a study of 51 Italian women is the first to show that Viagra can help women with sexual problems.

An article in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology about a clinical trial involving the Italian women said most reported that they enjoyed sex more, fantasised about it more often and had more sex.

The manufacturer, Pfizer, described the results as interesting.

The Italian findings conflict with a study of 577 women presented last year to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, which found a placebo was more effective than Viagra.

Pfizer said it was still assessing whether the drug, known generically as sildenafil and available only on prescription, could be developed for women.

Since Viagra was launched three years ago, 300 million pills have been sold to 10 million men worldwide.

Some women have already spoken about taking the drug, including actress Kim Cattrall, from Sex and the City, who claimed it made her multi-orgasmic.

The women in the Italian study were all in their 20s and 30s and had found sex unsatisfactory.

During trials over several months, they were given placebos, 25mg doses of Viagra or 50mg doses of the drug.

Each month they rated their arousal, orgasms, enjoyment and sexual fantasies on a five-point scale.

The scores of the women taking Viagra rose from 1.5 to 4.2 on both drug doses but the placebo group achieved only a 2.6 grade.