(Independent Florida Alligator) (U-WIRE) GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Throw away your penile suppositories. Same goes for those painful injections and cumbersome penis pumps. Viagra is here at last and Americans have welcomed this wonder drug with open zippers.

Every American man worth his weight in lace panties has considered a prescription from the Love Doctor (and his talented assistant, the Naughty Nurse).

But before supersizing your way to sexual nirvana, you need to know the facts. So here’s the lowdown on the best answer to male impotence since “Baywatch” and beer.

According to Pfizer, the pharmaceutical company that makes the goods, “Viagra is oral therapy for erectile dysfunction.” (Hey, I just copied it.) This description hasn’t gone over well with the Southern Baptist Association. But it’s better than Pfizer’s original slogan: “Viagra. It’s Rogain for your (expletive).”

For you armchair chemists, Viagra works through a reaction between the DNA of Wilt Chamberlain and Marky Mark (a sort of Ebony and Ivory of the sex world).

This compound is blended with Olestra (for taste) and coated with a blue candy shell, guaranteed not to melt in your, uh, pants. Then you’ve got four hours to find something sexually arousing, like a car magazine, and you can expect enough potency to rip through some leather chaps.

Does it really work?

Just ask some satisfied customers.

Bill Clinton reportedly experimented with Viagra once, although the president swears he didn’t swallow.

But you don’t have to be a famous politician to live like a porn star. Thanks to Viagra, my friend jumpstarted his stagnant sex life to the tune of five different women every day.

And to ensure Viagra is safe enough to be added to fortified breakfast cereals, the FDA testedViagra on 3,700 sexually active males. After carefully studying every lustful word of the report, I can definitively conclude that 3,700 guys are getting a lot more play than me.

To clear up some of the technical jargon words like, penis and big and all-night-orgy at Studio 54 here’s a layman’s list of Viagra pros and cons.

PROS: No. 1 : The NBA has not banned Viagra, which should make Shawn Kemp smile with possibilities.

No. 2 : It’s easier to cheat on your wife. As you may know, 70-year-old Francis Bernardo is fighting a $2-million lawsuit from his wife, age 61, for acting young again with someone else. Wife Roberta told the judge, “Viagra is like a loaded gun.” Apparently, so is her husband.

No. 3: Chicks dig Viagra. I haven’t tested this in the real world, but my sex therapist tells me I’m almost ready.

CONS: No. 1 : There can be unpleasant side effects.

Three percent of tested users experienced blurred vision, which could actually be helpful, given the circumstances.

Another 3 percent reported diarrhea, a real mood killer.

So if you do the math, about 1 in 1,000 Viagra users will end up staggering around a bar, half-blind, constantly struggling to read signs on bathrooms doors, while trying to convince girls to have sex.

No. 2 : The pressure can be overwhelming. After downing a pill, you’ve only got four hours to meet “Mrs. Right Now” and get the job done.

Personally, I could use a bit more time to work with, at least long enough to visit one of those Hooter’s restaurants down in Tampa.

No. 3 : Viagra users with heart problems can experience heart failure upon arousal.

So your obituary will read, “Died from drug-induced heart attack while attempting to have sex after years of impotence.”

Now Viagra isn’t for everyone. Pfizer actually listed several groups who should NOT enjoy their product, including “infants and pregnant women.”

Add to that, “People who don’t have sex.”

Of course, some people were born to take Viagra. Like male prostitutes.

But if you’re still straddling the Viagra fence, I say give it a shot. You could be in for the best three minutes of your life.

And it beats the hell out of suppositories.

Keith Struddler is a journalism graduate student who has survived numerous Viagra flashbacks.

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the Alligator.

The word’s on the street Even before clinical testing of Viagra is completed, the Sunday Mirror reports that, “Burglars bypassed a medical lab’s security and snatched a consignment of erection pills… A spokesman for Pfizer said: `The results have been so impressive in 81 per cent of treated cases that word must have spread.’” 22 February 1998

Love drug turned me into a sex addict In the first celebrity Viagra confession, the Sun reports TV presenter Jerry Springer’s claim that Viagra turned him into a sex addict. 16 May 1998

Power to the people Alan Greenberg, the 70-year-old chairman of US bank Bear Stearns, donates $1m for the purchase of Viagra for those who are unable to afford it. The Daily Telegraph quotes the millionaire as saying he was making the gift because “it’s something that will give a lot of pleasure to a lot of people”. 11 June 1998

The Times reports that the mayor of a Brazilian town has spent pounds 21,000 of his budget onViagra, which he plans to hand out in an effort to increase the dwindling population - and so qualify for more federal government funding. 27 June 1998

Out of control “A squad of investigators has been set up to stem the growth of illegal sales ofViagra. The `V-men’ have the power to seize black market stocks and prosecute dealers… The special inquiry unit, set up by the Medicines Control Agency, is already investigating 15 reports of illegal sales or advertising.” 27 June 1998 Daily Telegraph

“Iraq has banned Viagra… said the newspaper Babil. The report said latest medical studies showed Viagra had a dangerous effect on health and warned visitors to the country should be banned from entering with `such poisons’.” 5 April 1999 The Independent

“Irish greyhound authorities have banned trainers from giving Viagra to their dogs. The pill was added to a list of prohibited substances following rumours that some trainers were exploiting the drug’s performance-enhancing qualities.” 21 June 2001 Guardian

Animal magic Zoologists say Viagra may help save endangered animals, reports the Sunday Times. “The researchers hope Viagra will reduce the inhibitions of animals about performing in captivity.” 28 June 1998

“Chinese pandas are to be given Viagra to improve their sex drive and save the species from extinction. Scientists are said to be experimenting with the impotence drug after traditional Chinese herbal medicine failed to lift the animals’ libido.” 13 April 2000 Times

“Ministers in the Department of Health believe supplying cut- price Viagra would curb the growing use of tiger bones as an impotence cure among Asian immigrants.” 14 May 2000 News of the World

Switched on “This Morning screened the first-ever televised test of Viagra… three middle-aged couples volunteered to test the wondrous anti-impotence pill after it was given the all-clear for use in the EU this week.” 17 September 1998 London Evening Standard

Vote winner “Tony Blair is to be urged by doctors to adopt a vote- winning strategy aimed at encouraging about 2 million men to vote Labour at the next election. He will come under pressure to allow Viagra to be made available virtually on demand on the NHS.” 21 January 2001 The Independent on Sunday

Full bloom “Plants, fruit and vegetables could all live twice as long if given Viagra, an expert claims. The sex drug stops cut flowers from drooping if added to their water, claims the plant scientist.” 19 July 1999 Sun

Hot dishes The Guardian reports that a French chef offered up a pounds 20 “Menu Viagra” featuring “beef piccata in Viagra sauce with fig vinegar and fine herbs,” along with a langoustine salad and nougat ice-cream with berry and ginger sauce, topped with mint. He said that although he had publicised the menu in an effort to perk up business, he had only ever served it to friends. 21 October 1999

Rave new world “Clubbers are indulging in a new drugs craze dubbed `sextasy’ in which they mixViagra and Ecstasy… Demand for `sextasy’ is expected to soar as more Viagra becomes available on the black market.” 5 December 1999 Sunday Mirror

Baby boom “Two women are pregnant with twins and another with triplets after taking Viagraduring IVF treatment. They are among 10 women who have become pregnant after taking courses of Viagra while receiving treatment for infertility”. 23 October 2000 Daily Telegraph

Outrage “A pantomime has come under fire for asking children to shout out `Viagra‘ as a magic word to open gates. Veteran morals campaigner Mary Whitehouse accused the Jack and the Beanstalk show of corrupting kids. 15 December 1999 Daily Record

Crash course “A 25-year-old man is seeking damages of pounds 74,000 to pay for a life-long supply of Viagra after losing his sex- drive in a road accident… The victim claims he can only have sex using Viagra since the accident.” 1 June 2001 Daily Record

By Jeff Swiatek, The Indianapolis Star Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Feb. 4–The impotence pill Cialis hits the European market today, with co-developers Eli Lilly and Co. and Icos Corp. hoping they have a blockbuster product on their hands.

At a London “launch event,” Lilly will announce that Cialis is for sale in the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Finland and Sweden to treat men with erectile dysfunction. Sales also have begun in Australia and will start at later dates in other European countries and New Zealand, where approvals have been granted, Lilly spokeswoman Carole Copeland said.

The European drug label for Cialis says it’s effective in improving erections in men up to 24 hours after swallowing the pill.

Lilly, of Indianapolis, and Icos, of Bothell, Wash., hope the relatively long duration of effectiveness will give Cialis an advantage over Viagra, from rival Pfizer Inc., which dominates the market for male prescription impotence treatments. Viagra, approved for sale in Europe in 1998, has a duration of action of one to four hours.

Cialis helped him to regain satisfying sexual relations with his wife of 40 years, said 65-year-old Alan Purvis, a former school teacher from Durham, England, who took Cialis during a six-week trial about a year ago.

His impotence problem “was a worry for me and a concern for her,” Purvis told The Star’s news-gathering partner WTHR (Channel 13) in London, where he planned to attend today’s launch announcement.

“The little intimacies . . . they were beginning to disappear,” Purvis said. “It was beginning to be a marriage where we were good friends, and we both thought there is an awful lot (more) to it than that.”

Icos, a small biotechnology firm, discovered the molecule that became Cialis and established a joint venture with Lilly in 1998 to bring the drug to market.

The investment firm Merrill Lynch projects annual sales of Cialis could hit $700 million by 2007.

Lehman Brothers puts peak sales at $2 billion, which will be split between the two companies.

Viagra had sales of $1.5 billion in 2001.

New York drug giant Pfizer failed in a patent infringement action to bar Cialis from the European market. A broad method-of-use patent Pfizer held for Viagra was ruled invalid by British courts and the European Patent Office, according to Lilly.

Cialis‘ U.S. launch has been delayed for more patient studies ordered by the Food and Drug Administration.

Lilly aims for U.S. sales to start in the second half of this year, although Cialis still faces a U.S. patent infringement action by Pfizer.

Lilly and Icos retained the brand name Cialis in Europe despite a spirited effort by members of an extended family named Cialis to change the drug’s name.

Russell Cialis, a public relations consultant in Wilmslow, England, said Lilly sent him a letter last month refusing to change the drug’s name.

“We have been the butt of snide and rude comments and jokes, and had hoped that their corporate statement of ethics would help them to realize what harm they were causing. You can imagine the distress this has caused our family, especially the womanfolk, children and grandchildren,” Cialis said.

The family maintains a Web site at www.users.bigpond.com/dessale/ where it posts information on the name dispute it calls Cialis vs. Cialis.

The name was retained, in part, because changing it could have delayed bringing the drug to market, said Lilly spokeswoman Nicole Hebert.

In addition, she said, “It does not appear possible to check a trademark against all surnames” in the world.

Lilly’s stock closed at $61.68 Monday, up $1.44 in trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

– WTHR (Channel 13) reporter Bruce Kopp contributed to this report.

ABOUT CIALIS

– What it is: Impotence pill.

– Developers: Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co. and Icos Corp., a biotechnology firm that discovered the molecule that became the drug.

– European launch: Today in London. WTHR (Channel 13) will air live reports at 5 and 6 p.m.

– U.S. launch: Delayed for more patent studies ordered by the Food and Drug Administration.

– Annual sales projection: $700 million by 2007.

Related material — Lilly spokesman West announces he will retire

– FACTFILE: Eli Lilly & Co.

To see more of The Indianapolis Star, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.IndyStar.com.

The famous “36-hour window” that differentiated erectile-dysfunction drug Cialis from its competitors is no longer needed-either for sex or as a marketing tool.

The Food and Drug Administration last week approved Eli Lilly & Co.’s Cialis for daily use in the U.S., meaning, more or less, that men can be at the ready all the time.

Cialis still will be available in 10-or 20-milligram doses on a “use when needed” basis that gives men a 36-hour window in which to have sex. Competitors Viagra and Levitra last for about four hours.

But a new 5-milligram daily dosage of Cialis is for men who anticipate having sex more frequently, and new advertising is expected to reflect that.

A campaign from Cialis‘ consumer agency of record, Abelson Taylor, Chicago, will be geared toward men who plan to have sex twice a week or more. Instead of having to anticipate when they’ll have sex and taking the old dose accordingly, men can disregard the timing factor and 36-hour window altogether. With the new daily dosage of Cialis, the drug will already be in their systems, creating something of an “on-demand” effect.

First $1 billion year?

Shawn Heffern, Lilly’s U.S. director-brand marketing for Cialis, and an Eli Lilly spokeswoman both cited proprietary information and declined to provide details about any coming advertising. But the iconic bathtubs that have appeared in Cialis‘ advertising since its inception are expected to remain.

“It’s our goal to educate doctors about this new treatment option before advertising begins,” Mr. Heffern said. GSW Worldwide is Cialis‘ professional agency. “I can’t give an exact time frame for when we launch new ads.”

The daily dose is already in use in some parts of Europe.

Since coming on the market in 2003, Cialis has steadily gained market share and eroded Viagra’s dominance in the ED category. While it remains a distant second, Cialis is on track to record its first $1 billion sales year for 2007. Through the first nine months of last year, Cialis rang up sales of $798 million, according to IMS Health-a projection of $1.06 billion for the year. Pfizer’s Viagra had sales of just under $1.3 billion in the first nine months of 2007 for a projected total of $1.73 billion.

According to IMS, Viagra controls almost 60% of the ED market in the U.S, with Cialis at 27% and Levitra at 13%. Levitra is jointly marketed by Bayer AG and Schering-Plough.

But Cialis is the market leader in about 20 countries, according to Lilly, including France, where the pill was dubbed “le weekend” when it first came on the market.

Those second-generation sex pills were a long time in coming. After several years of speculation, the impotence drugs Levitra and Cialis finally made their debut in the second half of 2003. Levitra received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in August 2003, and Cialis on November 21, 2003. With three drugs now on the market for erectile dysfunction, many !men want to try all alternative to Viagra.

Studies had reported Levitra and Cialis were supposed to act a little faster, last a little longer, and have fewer side effects than Viagra. These new drugs were also reported effective in some cases where Viagra had failed. Anticipation has been high for many men who have been dissatisfied with Viagra.

Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis work by blocking the PDE-5 enzyme and causing the smooth muscles of the penis to relax. As a result, blood flow increases to the penis, and an erection occurs. However, none of the drugs affect libido. The man must be sexually excited.

Studies have shown that with proper stimulation, all three drugs are effective in helping at least seven of ten men with erection problems. Unfortunately, without some hormone supplement such as testosterone, these drugs tend not to be effective for women, for whom blood flow alone is rarely the cause of sexual difficulties.

Many people had predicted the introduction of Levitra and Cialis would herald what was likely one of the pharmaceutical industry’s fiercest battles: taking on Viagra. Although Cialis has only recently become available, Levitra has been on the market since September 2003. As a result, these two drugs have been going head to head for several months.

What’s the Difference?

Early uses of the drugs seem to indicate most doctors believe there isn’t much difference between them. Most men get good results from either drug. As a result, what seems to be happening is that men who had been using Viagra are sticking with Viagra, and doctors are giving Levitra to many men who have not used an erection drug in the past. Physicians often see these drugs as interchangeable.

Men with SCI who have had poor or inconsistent results with Viagra may respond favorably to Levitra or Cialis. For example, the new drugs are said to be more effective in men with diabetes as well as those who have had prostate surgery. Hopefully, these new drugs will also prove effective in men who have lower-level injuries where Viagra has been especially disappointing.

The high demand and interest in Cialis may give Viagra its biggest challenge. The pending arrival of this Lilly-ICOS drug has caused much excitement and anticipation for some time in the medical community. Now that Cialis is available, many people doubt Viagra can maintain its market share. This is where the real battle will occur.

In Europe, where the drug has been available for nearly a year, Cialis is taking a huge chunk of the Viagra market. Since the drug reportedly can last up to tour times as long as the other medications, Cialis claims to give couples back the spontaneity that has been lost with Viagra and Levitra use.

With new drugs, however, come new side effects, and Cialis is said to cause low-back pain in some men. In addition, many of the familiar side effects of Viagra occur with Cialis as well. These include blurred vision, stuffy nose, headaches, and flushing.

Viagra had used Bob Dole as its spokesperson. Lilly-ICOS and Cialis have hired Paul Newman. Levitra is aiming for a younger market and has hired Mike Ditka as its poster boy. Last fall, it also did extensive marketing with the National Football League.

In this way, Bayer, the maker of Levitra, has hoped to open the door for younger men with erectile problems. All three drug companies are banking on the possibility that with the extensive media coverage of these new products, more men of all ages will step forward to seek treatment from their doctors for this condition.

Relevance to SCI

What does all this mean for men with spinal-cord injury (SCI)? Is it worth switching?

Most doctors would recommend men continue using Viagra if they have had good results in the past. The big difference is that Levitra takes less time and can be taken on a full stomach. Cialis remains in the body for at least 36 hours and can facilitate erections for extended periods of time. Ultimately, each man must make the decision whether the extra time and added convenience is worth the chance of different side effects and decreased effectiveness.

As studies have shown, up to 70% of men with SCI have reacted favorably to Viagra. These individuals tend to generally have higher-level injuries and good circulation, are free of other medical conditions, and are younger. Some men, however, have reported Viagra worked well for a short period of time and then became less effective. Certainly, any man who has been disappointed in his response to Viagra should consider discussing the alternatives with his doctor.

To my knowledge, no comparison studies have been published on men with SCI, and no data has been reported on the effectiveness of Levitra or Cialis for this population. This situation will certainly change now that FDA approval has been obtained and the prerequisite clinical trials have ended. As a result, the choice of which drug to use is based on preference rather than scientific data. In making this choice, most men consider the seriousness and duration of the side effects as well as the quality of the erection achieved.

The bottom line is that many men with SCI are doing their own comparisons. They care about results and sexual performance in the bedroom, not about scientific studies. For these individuals, curiosity is a big motivator, especially if they have access to free samples.

Now that Cialis is available in pharmacies, there is a good chance many more men will consider switching. Although duration, spontaneity, and side effects are important, men want predictable, long-lasting, quality erections. Most are willing to endure side effects from these drugs and see them as a necessary evil. Men want the confidence that the erection will be there when needed. Whatever medication meets that need will ultimately be the drug of choice.

At least men now have alternatives and choices. Hopefully, this healthy competition will also lower the price, since cost often makes these drugs unavailable. To date, all three of these medications tend to retail for approximately $10 per pill.

As discussed in this column during past years, we are currently witnessing the “medicalization” of human sexuality. This new field of sexual medicine is in its infancy, and fantastic discoveries are being made on a regular basis. Wonder what new pill is next on the sexual horizon? Look for those that help slow down ejaculation! The female pill also continues to be the focus of intense research and development.

With all this attention on new sex pills and hormone creams, some people–including me–wonder whatever happened to relationships and love. Seems like we’ve become overly focused on the mechanics of sex.

Aren’t we missing something here? I think so!

Information for this quarterly column is provided by:

Ducharme, Ph D., Clinical Psychologist Boston University Medical Center, Boston, Mass.

Dr. Ducharme is a clinical psychologist, certified sex therapist, and consultant specializing in sexuality and disability issues. He is a member of the medical staff at Boston Medical Center and a professor of Rehabilitation Medicine and assistant professor of Urology at Boston University School of Medicine. A past president of the American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Psychologists and Social Workers, Dr. Ducharme serves on the boards of directors of several professional organizations.

Readers may send questions anonymously to Stanley H. Ducharme, Ph.D., Boston University Medical Center, 720 Harrison Avenue, Suite 606, Boston, MA 02118. ducharme@bu.edu / www.Stanleyducharme.com.

Correction: RE: “Cialis‘ Pitch: Have Sex More Than Twice a Week” (AA, Jan. 14). The story incorrectly reported that Abelson Taylor Chicago is Cialis‘ consumer agency of record and that GSW Worldwide is the brand’s professional agency. Cialis‘ professional agency of record is Abelson Taylor. Its consumer agency of record is Grey Worldwide. We regret the error.

*****

The famous “36-hour window” that differentiated erectile-dysfunction drug Cialis from its competitors is no longer needed-either for sex or as a marketing tool.

The Food and Drug Administration last week approved Eli Lilly & Co.’s Cialis for daily use in the U.S., meaning, more or less, that men can be at the ready all the time.

Cialis still will be available in 10-or 20-milligram doses on a “use when needed” basis that gives men a 36-hour window in which to have sex. Competitors Viagra and Levitra last for about four hours.

But a new 5-milligram daily dosage of Cialis is for men who anticipate having sex more frequently, and new advertising is expected to reflect that.

A campaign from Cialis‘ consumer agency of record, Abelson Taylor, Chicago, will be geared toward men who plan to have sex twice a week or more. Instead of having to anticipate when they’ll have sex and taking the old dose accordingly, men can disregard the timing factor and 36-hour window altogether. With the new daily dosage of Cialis, the drug will already be in their systems, creating something of an “on-demand” effect.

First $1 billion year?

Shawn Heffern, Lilly’s U.S. director-brand marketing for Cialis, and an Eli Lilly spokeswoman both cited proprietary information and declined to provide details about any coming advertising. But the iconic bathtubs that have appeared in Cialis‘ advertising since its inception are expected to remain.

“It’s our goal to educate doctors about this new treatment option before advertising begins,” Mr. Heffern said. GSW Worldwide is Cialis‘ professional agency. “I can’t give an exact time frame for when we launch new ads.”

The daily dose is already in use in some parts of Europe.

Since coming on the market in 2003, Cialis has steadily gained market share and eroded Viagra’s dominance in the ED category. While it remains a distant second, Cialis is on track to record its first $1 billion sales year for 2007. Through the first nine months of last year, Cialis rang up sales of $798 million, according to IMS Health-a projection of $1.06 billion for the year. Pfizer’s Viagra had sales of just under $1.3 billion in the first nine months of 2007 for a projected total of $1.73 billion.

According to IMS, Viagra controls almost 60% of the ED market in the U.S, with Cialis at 27% and Levitra at 13%. Levitra is jointly marketed by Bayer AG and Schering-Plough.

But Cialis is the market leader in about 20 countries, according to Lilly, including France, where the pill was dubbed “le weekend” when it first came on the market.

Cialis (TADALAFIL), Eli Lilly and Co.’s erectile dysfunction drug, is teeing off its second season as a sponsor of the PGA Tour with several major marketing initiatives. The increased spending levels, sports marketers said, rival Viagra’s commitments in NASCAR and Major League Baseball.

Lilly officials said a 24-plus-percent market share for the drug just 18 months after its debut proves the marketing strategy is working. Lilly makes the drug in partnership with Bothell, Wash.-based Icos Corp.

In addition to serving as the title sponsor of the Cialis (TADALAFIL) Western Open, the PGA Tour tournament in Chicago, for the second year, Lilly-lcos has this year launched a massive Cialis (TADALAFIL) television advertising campaign centered on its PGA involvement, secured sole sponsorship rights on scoreboards at 60 PGA Tour events, and begun point-ofpurchase campaigns at more than 500 pharmacies and select doctors’ offices in the markets where it sponsors golf tournaments.

The most innovative deal, sports marketers said, is an agreement with The Golf Channel and Denver-based GolfTec to set up tents at Tour events. Spectators can come to The Golf Swing Experience presented by Cialis (TADALAFIL) and have their swing analyzed by a teaching golf professional.

Within a week, participants receive an e-mail with a Web link, www.golftec.com/cialis, connecting them to a 20-minute online lesson prepared by a GolfTec teacher using the swing analysis generated in the Cialis (TADALAFIL) tent.

At the Doral Open earlier this year, Lilly officials said, 3,500 people visited the Cialis (TADALAFIL) tent, with 1,000 taking part in the swing analysis in four days. Within three weeks of the tournament, more than 800 had logged onto the Cialis (TADALAFIL) co-branded Web site to check out their swing analysis.

The PGA, which sports marketers once thought was an avenue of last resort for Cialis (TADALAFIL), is turning out to be a strong marketing partner. Cialis (TADALAFIL)‘ main rival, Viagra, has NASCAR and Major League Baseball locked up, and Levitra, the third major player in the erectile dysfunction category, has a deal with the National Football League.

“This deal between Cialis (TADALAFIL) and the PGA Tour makes sense on all kinds of levels,” said David Carter, principal of Los Angeles-based Sports Business Group. “And Cialis (TADALAFIL) is showing they’re going to be heavily activating this sponsorship, which is critical.”

NASCAR and golf are turning out to be the most effective marketing platforms for this drug category, said Mel Poole, president of SponsorLogic, a Charlotte, N.C.-based sports marketing consultancy.

“These are both strong platforms, but golf demographics actually trend a little older and a little more affluent than NASCAR fans,” Poole said.

As a primary sponsor of Mark Martin’s team, Viagra likely spends $20 million annually on NASCAR sponsorship, and Poole estimates Cialis (TADALAFIL) is approaching that figure with the PGA. The PGA and motorsports offer unparalleled opportunities for corporate hospitality, Poole said, and Cialis (TADALAFIL) and Viagra officials have launched a major effort to bring doctors and other medical people to events to help them promote and sell their products.

“During our first year, we were trying to figure out how the brands of Cialis (TADALAFIL) and the PGA meshed,” said Matt Beebe, U.S. brand team leader for Cialis (TADALAFIL). “We now see our message connects very well with the players and viewers of golf and the message of Cialis (TADALAFIL) and the PGA has a lot of similarities.”

Cialis (TADALAFIL)‘ deal with the PGA extends through the 2007 season, and Beebe said more initiatives are in the works.

Cialis (TADALAFIL) on Tour

Primary initiatives of Cialis (TADALAFIL) marketing on PGA Tour this year:

Official and title sponsor: Official PGA Tour sponsor and title sponsor of Cialis (TADALAFIL) Western Open in Chicago through 2007.

Branded scoreboards: Cialis (TADALAFIL)-branded scoreboards will appear at 60 PGA Tour and Champions Tour tournaments this season.

Web site: www.cialis.pgatour.com provides bps on how to relax and enjoy golf, shows golf vignettes.

Malls PGA Tour event tents: Partnering with The Golf Channel, host info and golf-swing analysis tents at select PGA Tour events.

Point-of-purchase marketing biltz: Cialis (TADALAFIL) information available at 300 to 500 pharmacies in each of the nine markets where Cialis (TADALAFIL) sponsors a PGA Tour event.

Sources: Eli Lilly and Co., IBJ research

PETER JENNINGS: While we’re still in Washington, there is more news today about that prescription drug to fight baldness we told you about last night. A panel at the Food and Drug Administration has recommended the drug Propecia to promote hair growth. But the panel does have doubts that it can actually stop you losing your hair, and men over 40 listen carefully. Here’s ABC’s John Martin.JOHN MARTIN, ABC News: (voice-over) It probably won’t help the celebrated…

PATRICK STEWART, Actor (”Star Trek: Next Generation”): Report.

JOHN MARTIN: (voice-over) …or the anonymous if their hair stopped growing or fell out long ago.

Dr. GARY PECK, Washington Hospital Center: If patients are as bald as I am, it’s not going to help.

JOHN MARTIN: (voice-over) But for men 41 or younger, here’s what the Merck company says its drug will do — a small daily dose of Propecia 1.00 mg online without prescription” href=”http://http://www.drugs-24h.com/buy-propecia-online.htm”>Propecia, as it is called, blocks the body from producing a hormone that causes hair loss when it is changed by an enzyme.

Dr. THOMAS NIGRA, Washington Hospital Center: It’s the hair follicle shrinkage as a result of this enzyme action that causes baldness.

JOHN MARTIN: (voice-over) But today, with lots of interested parties looking on, the company failed to convince the FDA’s advisory committee that Propecia stops hair loss. A company official did convince the committee that the drug grows hair.

Voice of Dr. KEITH KAUFFMAN, Merck & Co.: This patient was rated as moderately improved at the end of the first year and progresses to great improvement at the end of the second year.

JOHN MARTIN: (voice-over) Despite this promise, some doctors argue against approval, citing impotence and decreased sex drive, reported by a small percentage of the study group.

Dr. BRUCE KATZ, Dermatologist: I think we should be very cautious about using it in young people. And we want to be sure that it’s safe long-term.

JOHN MARTIN: (voice-over) But for some of the men in the study, benefits outweigh possible risks.

STEVEN SANDOE, Study Participant: It’s what we call peach fuzz. And where there’s small hairs, there’s hope.

JOHN MARTIN: (voice-over) Hope for those of America’s 40 million bald men who consider it a burden. John Martin, ABC News, Washington.

PETER JENNINGS: The money we use — the cash, that is — may be about to undergo an important transition. The House of Representatives has passed a bill today that is going to bring into service…

(voice-over) …a new dollar coin. We don’t really know what it will look or feel like. This is a suggestion. Only that it will be different than the Susan B. Anthony dollar, which was a failure. This time, the coin’s supporters hope that it will in time replace the paper dollar…

(on camera) …as it has so successfully in other countries.

When we come back — the FBI says…

(voice-over) …that its investigation of TWA 800 is over.

(Commercial Break)

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Dec. 5–Men who take Propecia, a medication that stimulates hair growth, need to account for it when they get their PSA readings, a Dallas physician wants to remind doctors.

PSA readings, an indication of prostate gland health and part of a standard physical exam in middle-aged and older men, need to be doubled in men who take Propecia, said Dr. Claus Roehrborn, chairman of urology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, because the drug lowers PSA levels.

This reminder is printed on the Propecia product insert, but Dr. Roehrborn says many doctors and patients aren’t aware of it. A report detailing the effects on PSA appeared online Monday in the British medical journal The Lancet.

According to the pharmaceutical information firm IMS Health, more than 1.5 million prescriptions were filled in 2005 for Propecia.

The medication is a lower-dose version of Proscar, a drug prescribed to men with benign prostatic hyperplasia, or an enlarged prostate gland. It’s well known that Proscar lowers PSA readings, and doctors double the reading in men who take that drug.

But fearing that patients and doctors may ignore the same issue for Propecia, Dr. Roehrborn and Harvard Medical School professor Dr. Anthony D’Amico decided to analyze some older statistics and publish their results in a prominent journal.

“We have decided it’s a good idea to publicize the issue,” Dr. Roehrborn said.

The study looked at 355 men between age 40 and 60, half of whom took Propecia for 48 weeks. PSA levels decreased between 40 and 50 percent in men who took the drug. Dr. Roehrborn said he anticipated that men who took the drug even longer would have the same reduction in PSA levels. The study was funded by Merck, which makes Propecia and Proscar.

The most effective way to prevent further confusion between Topamax and Toprol-XL–the brand names of topiramate and metoprolol succinate–would be to change one of their names, according to Michael R. Cohen, president of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices.

A complete name change would not be necessary, Mr. Cohen said in an interview; capital letters could be used to accentuate the differences between the two words.

“They have used capitals, but both companies used all capitals for the names,” which can actually detract from a visual recognition of the different letters in each name. “What they really need to do is identify with capitals the characters that are unique to each name–that would make the differences stand out more.”

However, a name change was not included among the suggested safety precautions in a “Dear Health Care Provider” letter sent out by Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical Inc., maker of Topamax.

Reports of mixups between Topamax and Toprol-XL (AstraZeneca) have been submitted to the Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organization, and the U.S. Pharmacopeia, an Ortho-McNeil press release said. The reports document prescriptions that have been incorrectly written, labeled, and/or dispensed, resulting in patients taking the wrong drug.

Neither company would say how many medication errors have been reported, but the press release did say such errors can lead to “potentially serious health consequences associated with either unintended exposure to a medication or lack of a needed therapy.” Patients taking topiramate, an anticonvulsant, can experience a sudden increase in seizure activity, and those taking metoprolol succinate, a [beta]-blocker, can experience increases in blood pressure, angina, or even myocardial infarction if therapy stops abruptly.

The errors have been traced not only to similarity in trade names, but also to the products’ proximity on pharmacy shelves or computerized listings, and identical dose strengths in the tablet formulations. Both drugs also recommend dosage titration, which could be another contributing factor, according to Ortho-McNeil’s “Dear Health Care Provider” letter, which is part of the company’s educational campaign targeted at physicians and pharmacists.

To help ensure that patients receive the correct medication, the campaign encourages physicians to:

* Be alert to the possibility of medication errors in patients prescribed Topamax or Toprol-XL.

* Be aware of the possibility of medication errors in patients presenting with unexpected signs or symptoms while on Topamax or Toprol-XL.

* Confirm the brand and generic names and dosage on written and oral prescriptions.

* Print legible prescriptions that include the brand names and generic names, with indication.

* Counsel patients about the brand name, indication, and proper use of each medication.

Neither Ortho-McNeil nor AstraZeneca has announced plans to alter its drug’s trade name in any way. In the absence of such changes. Mr. Cohen suggested that physicians take the initiative to explain the situation to patients and highlight the drug names in a way that makes the prescription very clear to the pharmacist. Such an effort helps patients advocate for their own safety, he said. “Doctors should highlight the unique letter characters in each name, and also take a few minutes to let their patients know that there have been some mistakes.”

Additionally, he said, pharmacists dispensing the medications can easily catch any errors with a few words to the person picking up the medication. “All they have to do when handing it out is to repeat the name of the drug to the patient and ask, in the case of Topamax, for example, ‘Are you using this for seizures or migraines?’”