Shy Guys Can Now Buy Viagra Directly From Its Website
Viagra.comCan you spot the fake Viagra pill? It's on the left.Blockbuster erectile dysfunction drug Viagra is about to become a lot easier for men to pick up on the down low.
Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced Monday that it will become the first in the industry to peddle its infamous little blue pills directly from its website.
The company's new e-commerce site, called Viagra Home Delivery, gives prescription holders a way to bypass the usual middlemen to buy and refill their prescriptions, with the added bonus of knowing that they're ordering the real deal.
It's a wonder it's taken the company this long to launch this kind of service.
Viagra is one of the most counterfeited drugs in the world, and Pfizer has poured billions of dollars into anti-counterfeiting measures around the globe. In 2011, Pfizer's Global Security arm found that out of 22 websites appearing in the top search results for the phrase “buy Viagra," 80% of the pills were counterfeit.
“We have seen counterfeit medicines manufactured in filthy and deplorable conditions, yet some people do not realize the risks that this poses to their health and safety, our top priority,” said Matthew Bassiur, vice president, Global Security.
What it costs: A single dose of Viagra (one pill) goes for a steep $25, though Pfizer is offering three free pills for first-time orders and free delivery for everyone.
Cost is the main reason counterfeit drugs have seen such a boom, as customers are drawn to advertisements for $1 to $3 "generic" Viagra pills.
The reality is that there is no generic version of the pill on the market yet. What customers get instead is usually a pretty convincing fake.
Fraudsters pack everything but the kitchen sink into fake Viagra –– using commercial-grade paint to mimic the erectile dysfunction drug's trademark blue color and sometimes packing the pills with toxins like boric acid, speed, and even rat poison.
As consumers continue to turn to the Web to save on prescription drugs, it's always important to screen them first: The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy keeps detailed lists of online sites that sell legitimate pharmaceuticals.