Impotent British men have three weeks to get unrestricted prescriptions of
Viagra, following a High Court decision last week. The judge ruled that
government instructions telling doctors to prescribe the drug only in
鈥渆xceptional circumstances鈥� were unlawful. Pfizer, which manufactures the drug,
is deciding whether to sue for lost sales. 鈥淲e鈥檝e not ruled out the possibility
of seeking compensation,鈥� says a spokesman.
But new guidelines鈥攔estricting the drug to the 17 per cent of impotence
sufferers who are being treated for conditions such as prostate
cancer鈥攚ill come into force on 1 July, if approved by Parliament. Pfizer
may challenge the legality of the new guidelines as well.
