U.S. drug firms are fighting efforts in Congress to bar Medicare from paying for Viagra and other erectile dysfunction drugs, the New York Times said Monday.
The issue relates to Medicare’s new prescription drug benefit and whether the program should cover treatment to heighten sexual performance.
“We cannot pay for everything, but, unlike many advanced industrial countries, the United States has no explicit process to analyze the cost and value of medical goods and services,” Jonathan Weiner, a health policy professor at Johns Hopkins University, told the newspaper.
Supporters say erectile dysfunction often has a physical cause and treatment can significantly improve the quality of a man’s life. Opponents say financially-troubled Medicare cannot afford to pay for “lifestyle drugs” and should concentrate on other drugs for senior citizens.
In support of providing the coverage, Kindra Strupp of Eli Lilly & Co., which sells Cialis, says 17 percent of that drug was dispensed to men over the age of 65.
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