A recent Canada Supreme Court decision on Nov.09 has ruled against pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, the holding company of the medicine Viagra, to renew its patent due to disclosed ingredients. This decision would allow other companies to produce cheaper generic versions of the drug. Viagra is a very profitable drug, as Viagra Canada alone made over 80 million dollars last year. However, Viagra is also a very versatile drug as scientists around the world find it useful for different purposes.
Viagra is a world well known drug specialized to cure erectile dysfunction for men. Sildenafil, the main ingredient of Viagra, can produce nitric oxide (NO) that increases blood flow by enlarging the blood vessels.
Researchers in the U.S. have found that Viagra could increase the effectiveness of cancer drugs when the two are used together. They discovered that applying Viagra and cancer treatment drugs at the same time could kill prostate cancer cells effectively in mice. Even though some experts are still debating the role of Viagra on cancer, it is still a very positive sign for further cancer research.
There has also been success with treating plants with Viagra pills by English scientists. Sildenafil produces nitric oxide (NO), and the chemical can also provide a boost for plant growth as well since humans and plants share genetic similarities in some ways. The Viagra treated plants usually can stay fresh a week longer, and it works especially well for cut plants as their lifetime almost doubled with Viagra treatment. Thus, researchers even anticipated a gardener’s type of Viagra in the future.
Regardless of the price, Viagra seems like a very versatile and effective drug, and the unsuccessful patent renewal could lead to future competition among sildenafil drugs in Canada.
