Your Guide to Buying Viagra
Viagra. It’s the famous treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED). Powered by the active ingredient, Sildenafil Citrate, the so-called Little Blue Pill has helped men all over the world overcome ED.
Yet, it’s a medication that is also widely targeted by scammers. We know that ED can be hugely distressing – and many often don’t feel comfortable talking about it. However, this can make men vulnerable. As you may have noticed, the sale of ED medication is a common scam online, preying on men who are uncomfortable buying through legitimate channels.
But, if you want to tackle your condition effectively, you’ll need to make sure you get your medication from a reliable source. So, where can you buy Viagra safely? Here, we share a few options, but in short, if it’s not from your doctor, a licenced pharmacist like Manual is your best bet.
What is Viagra?
Known as a PDE5 inhibitor, Viagra’s active ingredient, Sildenafil, fights the symptoms of ED. It tackles the enzyme phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) that’s responsible for smooth muscle contraction in the penis. By inhibiting that enzyme, it encourages blood flow to where you need it.
As you may know, there are other erectile dysfunction medications that do a similar job, such as Cialis (Tadalafil) and Levitra (Vardenafil). Yet, Viagra was the first on the scene, patented by the company Pfizer, and has remained the best-known as a result.
But here’s the thing: Pfizer’s patent for the drug expired in April 2020, meaning that it can now be sold under different names. While official licenced pharmacists and healthcare providers like the NHS use the generic unbranded version of the drug (called Sildenafil without the Viagra brand name), other manufacturers can make it too. And that makes regulation harder.
That’s why it’s crucial to only buy Viagra from trusted sources. If you don’t, you risk not getting Viagra at all. Or, even worse, something that could do you harm in the short or long-term.
Where Can I Buy Viagra?
So, where are the best places to buy Viagra? Like all medications, your best bet is through licenced pharmacies or via your doctor.
A licenced pharmacy
A licenced pharmacy is always the best place to buy erectile dysfunction treatment. You want the drug to work – and the only way to ensure that it works is to buy the real deal.
To be licenced – i.e. to be authorised to sell drugs – pharmacists need to be qualified and registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council. The GPhC makes sure that everyone who claims to be a pharmacist is actually a pharmacist, and that they have the qualifications to tell you whether or not you should take the drug.
Manual is a licenced UK pharmacy, so you can trust us to give you the approved medication. If you want to buy the 100mg dose, we’ll have to ask you a few questions to ensure suitability before we prescribe it. If you’re on medication for high blood pressure, we may not be able to give it to you.
Online or offline
Pharmacies these days often work both online and offline. Buying Viagra online from Manual is convenient and discreet, and it means that you don’t have to make a face-to-face visit to your local pharmacy if you don’t feel comfortable.
Without a prescription: Viagra Connect
While you will need a prescription for the 100mg dose, you can buy Viagra’s 50mg tablet over the counter. That means no prescription is needed. However, bear in mind that this is the less strong version of the medication.
Again, this one is available both online and in person. But, as ever, avoid buying it from shops that you do not trust.
On the NHS
Finally, in certain circumstances, you can be prescribed Viagra (or, more likely, unbranded generic Sildenafil) on the NHS. If you go to your GP, they will be able to help you.
Places to Avoid
Just because you can buy Viagra (or something called Viagra) from other places, it doesn’t mean you should. While the internet has made shopping easier and more discreet, it has made it trickier to discern the real deal from those that are less-than-trustworthy.
So, keep your wits about you when you’re shopping for medications online. And always ensure that you are shopping somewhere that is licenced to sell medication. They will make this clear on their website. Look for their GPhC registration number so you know they’re legit.
Here are some places not to buy Viagra.
- Unlicensed pharmacies. If sellers are sneaky enough to pretend to be a pharmacy, believe that they are sneaky enough to sell you Viagra that doesn’t work (or that isn’t Viagra). That would be illegal, and it can do you harm.
- Cold emails. People get all sorts of spam emails. Don’t ever trust an email that comes out of the blue offering cheap Viagra.
- Shops offering “herbal” Viagra. Herbal Viagra doesn’t really exist. There is nothing “herbal” that works quite as well as Sildenafil as an ED treatment. It won’t do what you want it to do. And, as ever, there are risks.
What are the Risks of Unlicensed Viagra?
So, we’ve told you all about the possible risks of untrustworthy Viagra. That’s not just fear-mongering. There are concrete risks of taking bad medication. And simply, when it comes to your health, it is not worth taking that risk. What’s the worst that could happen?
- It doesn’t work. The first risk you can probably deal with. But this is a best-case scenario. You might be sold a placebo that doesn’t do anything.
- It increases Viagra’s side effects. Medications come with risks. Viagra, even at its most trustworthy, can cause indigestion, chest pain, and vision changes. In extreme cases, it can cause priapism, a painful erection that won’t go away. With unlicensed, unregulated Viagra, the chances of these increase.
- It could contain anything. Counterfeit Viagra has been found to include everything from talcum powder to amphetamines, paint, paracetamol and printer ink, as well as other random pharmaceuticals. At their very worst, these can cause serious damage to your health.
Key Takeaways: Where Can I Buy Viagra?
Viagra is one of the most popular medicines for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Available from pharmacists and your GP – as well as over the counter – it is easy to source, reliable, and a safe way to manage erection problems.
Yet, there are people who want to make money from nothing. If someone trying to sell you cheap “Viagra” seems too good to be true, they probably are. Why take the risk if you can get the medication so easily (and safely) elsewhere?
¹General Pharmaceutical Council – https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/
²G Jackson, S Arver, I Banks, and V J Stecher (2010). Counterfeit phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors pose significant safety risks: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3069491/
While we've ensured that everything you read on the Health Centre is medically reviewed and approved, information presented here is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It should never be relied upon for specific medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to your doctor.
