Risks And Benefits Of So-Called Viagra-For-Women

In this 2013 file photo, a tablet of flibanserin sits on a brochure for Sprout Pharmaceuticals. The FDA recommended approval of the "female Viagra," though critics aren't convinced the pill will actually work. AP PHOTO/ALLEN G. BREED

Last week, an FDA panel recommended the approval of the first drug to treat low sexual desire in women. The FDA has rejected the drug – called flibanserin – multiple times, in part due to concerns over severe side effects like fainting and nausea. Now, the drug could be available within months. Some doctors insist flibanserin is a long-overdue solution for the many woman struggling with low libido. But questions persist about the drug’s effectiveness, and whether a pill is even the answer for women who feel something is wrong with their level of sexual desire. We look at the risks and benefits of so-called Viagra for women.

Guests

• Dr. Adriane Fugh-Berman director of PharmedOut, a research and education project at Georgetown University Medical Center; associate professor of pharmacology and physiology, Georgetown University
• Dr. James A. Simon clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology, The George Washington University School of Medicine; sexual dysfunction expert
• Dr. Jennifer Berman urologist and sexual health expert; co-host of the Emmy Award-winning talk show "The Doctors"
• Emily Nagoski director of wellness education at Smith College; author of the new book “Come As You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life”