The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first drug to treat loss of female sex drive this week. The agency’s approval of Addyi (flibanserin) – dubbed by the media as the “little pink pill” and “female Viagra” – has supporters cheering, calling it a victory for women. But critics call the drug marketed by Sprout Pharmaceuticals a “big mistake” and a “blunder,” citing a lack of evidence that the drug even works and a long list of side effects.
About 10 percent of women suffer from hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), according to one survey, and this drug is approved to treat this condition in women who do not suffer from a loss of desire because of an illness, relationship problems or side effects of other drugs.
