Addyi, the first prescription drug to enhance female sexual desire, has been approved by the FDA in the U.S.
The drug, which goes non-commercially as flibanserin, works with the brain chemicals that deal with mood and appetite to increase women's libido. It will launch in mid-October, but comes with a raft side effects.
The pink pill can cause low-blood pressure, dizziness, nausea, sleepiness, and fainting. The chances of these side effects occurring increase significantly if the drug is taken with alcohol or a number of other commonly used medications.
The drug had previously been put forward to the FDA in 2010 and in 2013, but was rejected both times. It seems third time is the charm, despite only passing with a 16-8 split.
That might all seem a bit worrying, but under the FDA-enforced safety plan, the drug can only be prescribed by doctors after the patient has filled out an online certification process that informs them of the risks of the drug. And it doesn't stop there, as pharmacists are required to remind users about the dangers of combing it with alcohol.
Looks like they're making it fairly clear that the drug isn't to be messed with or taken advantage of, which is obviously a clever move.
