FC NOW: The Fast Company Weblog
May 27, 2005
Poetic Justice: Viagra May Cause Blindness
Like some old wives' tale being borne out by medical science, it seems that drugs for erectile dysfunction may have been found to, ahem, stiffen one's chances of going blind.
Call me a lefty (please), but in a world where an estimated 2.1 million people die each year because they lack access to basic vaccinations, while rich, aging white men pay $10 each time they want to jumpstart their johnson, I can't help but find an element of poetic justice in this news.
Posted by Ryan Underwood at May 27, 2005 12:12 PM | Category: |
25 Comments
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Rich Aging White Men
Rich? - What about the recent story of Medicare funded Viagra for sax (sp) addicts? Poor folks get Medicare
Aging? - Erectile Dysfunction can hit at any age
White? - This is reverse racism. Black men can have trouble getting it up too
Men? - OK, I'll give you that one
This is going to be on the Leno joke list for weeks. Stay tuned, next they'll find out that viagra will grow hair on your palms too.
Ryan, I am with you. I've always been frustrated by the hypocrisy of the radical religious right in criticizing TV commercials like Paris Hilton's recent ad for Carl's Jr. but not saying a word about the incessant advertising for Viagra, Cialis and Levitra. Of course I know the reason is that they all have to use the latter, but could never have the former!
Don't you just love irony?
You americans are paying for your eschizophrenia.
While I think it's sort of funny (hopefully I won't have any hair growing on unusual spots), I believe it's more than religious hypocrisy or reverse bigotry (there's a good chance erectile disfunction is not an exclusive american schizophrenia as also, maybe, blindness is hm... "country-blind"?).
Take the recent cases of Celebra and Vialis. It seems like new medication is being released without proper assessment of its risks. Assessment which could take a bit longer than the big pharma companies cash-flow expectations.
Americans have to understand that in George Bush's world Big Pharma can do no wrong. So if this drug does cause blindness don't look for any type of recrimination. Any drug that has been approved in the last 10 years has been rushed to market due to new laws that allow pharmaceutical corporations to use the general public as their guinea pigs. You see, it's better for business that way. If a couple of 100 people die or go blind, well, that's just business.
well somebody said "Love is Blind" and now I agree (under the influence of this sensational news atleast), if every love is not blind atleast old men's love (okay Black or White or Yellow or Brown) is gonna be blind. But I wonder the research behind this might be flawed by the genral tendency of old men loosing their eye sight in old age...neways those chaps have got that song to remember "If love is blind...I will find my way with you"
Well let's not mention birth-control pills or the morning after pills or cosmetic surgery to enhance a womans sense of self-worth or any of the things that money is being spent on to aid women as opposed to 'basic vaccinations', after all we can't let an opportunity to bash men pass.
Who lets you make these posts? Poetic justice? That's just mean -- and a poor comparison. Imagine PAYING for medicine that harms you, vs. no access to it?
There are problems further up the chain that need to be addressed, and to take a cheap shot at the victims just illustrates your inability to make a worthwhile post.
Are you going to take a swipe at unfortunate Vioxx users too?
To Geezer: You have to be kidding! To begin comparing the medical advances and prescriptions that are given (better said lack there of) to women compared to men is a joke. We are so far behind in taking proper care of many of our basic medical needs overall (men, women and children) it is truly sad, especially for the amount of money generated in this country.
As for Birth Control, if men would be more pro-active and responsible in sharing the responsibility of birth control women would not have to carry the burden. I don't think men would be standing in line to take a pill daily, wear a patch or get a shot in the ass to be pro-active with birth control. When was the last time you wore a condom?
As well, if men and the media didn't push women to look so "perfect" cosmetic surgery wouldn't be the industry it is. While men become older, grey and distinguished looking. Women just get old, grey and wrinkled. Hollywood is the leader in is professional industry to prove this!
Please note: I am not man bashing just sharing my opinion. I love the men in my life...ALL OF THEM! ;-)
I can't help noticing the comments posted. Those criticizing the users of these products obviously would have a different perspective, should they have erectile dysfunction. As an occaisional sufferer, I am faced with the decision of, do I risk my health? Or do I disappoint my wife? Or avoid the issue entirely and become a monk.
I'll agree that this will be great joke material, hence the original post by Ryan. His short-sided logic, however, makes me wonder about some of his discretionary spending. Look around you, Ryan, and tell me how many of your purchases are really needs and not wants. I'll bet there's a bottled water within reach, when there are plenty in the world without that.
Sorry to get so serious here, but the "old white men" BS gets tiring. BTW, I'm 29, white, and take no enhancing pills ;), so there's no self defense here.
Classic misrepresentation of correlation vs causality. Check out this quote from Medpundit,
" '..NAION is not commonly associated with life-threatening conditions, although the presence of other vascular conditions is frequent (eg, hypertension, 46.9%; diabetes, 23.9%; myocardial infarction, 11%).'
I'll be darned. Those are the same diseases associated with impotence. Is it all that surprising some of the people who develop NAION take Viagra? What's surprising is that only 50 of them have been identified so far."
http://medpundit.blogspot.com/2005/05/old-wives-tales-more-than-20-million.html
In May 2005, CBS News reported that federal health officials were investigating cases of blindness in men who used Viagra. The FDA is reviewing 50 cases of vision loss, although a direct link to the drug has not been determined. According to physicians, Viagra may be affecting blood circulation to the optic nerve, causing blindness. Consumer groups are asking the FDA to add a black box warning to Viagra's label because of the reports of blindness.
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