Pharma Sutra: A Movie About Viagra For Women
7 CommentsBy Ed Silverman // December 4th, 2008 // 4:51 pm
To be specific, this is an hour-long documentary about the race to cure FSD - otherwise known as female sexual dysfunction. In the wake of Viagra and the burgeoning market for impotence pills, CTV, which is Canadian television, commissioned a flick about the efforts by several drugmakers to develop a pill for women. The flick, called Pharma Sutra, airs this Saturday, December 6 at 7 pm EST.
The filmmakers follow three drugmakers as they run the “marketing and scientific gauntlet” to cash in on what they were told is an estimated $5 billion “female Viagra” market. And they attempt to answer these questions: Does the future success of the drugs depend on a disease that may have been invented? Or will drugmakers actually meet the genuine needs of millions of women who are suffering a lessening of libido in a sex-obsessed culture? Well put, yes?
“In the running are a nasal spray, a skin patch, and a daily pill, each formulated to adjust the brain chemistry to make women ‘Think Sex,’ ” according to the filmmakers. “Government drug regulators are cautious, the pharma companies are anxious, and the potential market is…divided. We look at women who are taking it, women who want it, and women who hate the idea of it.”
“There was a major difference in my desire,” confesses Kathy Campbell, one of 5,000 women in the trial for Boehringer-Ingelheim’s Flibanserin, according to The Edmonton Sun. “When women get their fix, whether we’re talking voting or anything, they start to realize, you know what, this is my right too.”
However, Leonore Tiefer, an associate professor of psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine leads a group of psychologists, academics and public health advocates who contend that FSD isn’t an authentic medical condition. She tells the filmmakers that pumping out prescriptions to aid depleted libidos is missing the mark (back story).
“It’s clearly a medicalized issue,” Robin Benger, one of the directors, tells us. “But if they can develop a market, they’ll sell it. We found a lot of women who found (the products) useful.” And for those who may be unaware, the Pharma Sutra title is a play on the ancient Indian text, Kama Sutra, which includes advice about sex.
Van
I cannot resist….
I have the perfect name for this: Pildo
/sorry
V
http://vansantos.com
harpy
“While the push is strong for evidence proving FSD is a medical issue, as it stands, the American Psychological Association broadly describes it as a mental disorder that ranges from loss of sexual desire, discomfort during intercourse, lack of blood flow to the vagina, trauma-related aversion to sex and difficulty achieving orgasm.” (link)
Hmmmm…let’s take five completely unrelated issues involving women and sex, lump them all together, and come up with something new for idiots to drop in women’s drinks in bars. Sounds great!
Jennifer
I’ve been following the development of one of the treatments discussed in this documentary: Bremelanotide (new version called PL-6983), and have even created a blog to discuss its progress.
And to the other commenter here ‘harpy’: unfortunately you’re misinformed…
FSD is a generic condition/description that covers ALL of those supposedly ‘unrelated’ issues involving women and sex.
And FSD *IS* a big deal for women who are in an otherwise loving relationship, but cannot enjoy or appreciate having sex with their partner - no matter how desperately they want to.
Talk to one or more of the many post-menopausal or breast cancer survivors whose treatment robbed them of this desire, and see if they think these new treatments are as ridiculous as you make them out to be.
Oh - and a guy would indeed be an idiot to drop one of these pills into a woman’s drink in a bar… because he’d have to do it every day for a monthbefore it would start working on her. And it just increases the ability to feel arousal, so she wouldn’t head off with a guy she wouldn’t normally feel attracted to anyways.
The libido patch is the same - how is he going to sneak that past her (and continue applying a new patch every day or so for a month). Not to mention her full ‘ZZ Top’ beard (from the testosterone) would probably make her less appealing to him. lol
Even PL-6983 has to be sprayed directly up the nose. Also difficult to manage without her consent or awareness, and it still won’t make her hook up with a guy she wouldn’t otherwise be attracted to.
It increases arousal - not insanity. :)
Just A Thought
I don’t think this is going to be a big seller, generally speaking.
Viagra for men touched a nerve for the mid-life crisis crowd. It was a small stroke of genius. A hot car, strength, virility. Men carry the ego gene.
Women carry the vanity gene (is it the same?). Feed her vanity by looking at her like you might look at the young blond next door. Appreciative and interested. Hungry but not lecherous- lechery is more about self and self interest is not feeding a woman’s vanity.
The difference is that men are more capable of feeling good about themselves than women are- in most cases. A man will believe Viagra will make him better. I kind of doubt women will feel the same way.
Women are not the ones buying 2 seat convertibles to make themselves feel virile so why would they think that Pildo (lol Van) would do it?
Does that make sense? It’ll sell but men are an easier target. Women can take a low dose of testosterone. Men have to maintain an erection. Big difference.
Van
So, after my comment I (thank you Just A Thought) I remembered a story that came out late spring.
I’ve had the G-shot talks about injecting collagen straight into the G-spot, which enhances its sensitivity, but increases the width of the area as well.
With FSD desire seems to be a big issue, the “G-Shot” only address the physical sensation. If FSD is a desire issue, is the cause emotional in nature - OR - is there a physical aspect as well, and if so, would the shot be an option for treatment of FSD?
Best,
V
http://vansantos.com
Just A Thought
Van,
I think harpy is closer to right here.
FSD sounds like a list of ADHD symptoms under the blanket name of one condition. If they are saying that Vigra can help in all of those areas then they are assuming a lot.
My prior comment was about mental desire which is a biggy because if your head is in the right place (anything I say here sounds naughtier than intended) you can overcome some other things. Discomfort is about lubrication, thinning of the skin, and elasticity (use it or lose it). Lack of blood flow is the area where Pildo could matter. Trauma related aversion- a pill can’t fix that. Acheiving orgasm- depends on which of those situations is causing the problem or the quality of stimulation.
The G shot sounds questionable at best. Think C instead of G. It’s less elusive and more effective. Do not go digging for gold and asking, is that it? Haha.
I’m going to go crawl under a rock now. It’s been nice knowing you all.
:/
harpy
Best of luck, Jennifer. I hope cures all of your issues.