Healthcare providers are facing a major challenge: maintaining efficiency while controlling costs. One way of doing this is by encouraging patients to experiment with cheaper, homeopathic alternatives to traditional pharmaceuticals. While this may seem like a beneficial idea, there are some downsides that need to be considered before prescribing Viagra samples to your patients.
Dizziness, Headaches, And Other Side Effects
When taking a drug, side effects should be expected and considered a part of the cost/benefit analysis. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, especially when dealing with new drugs or those who have not been adequately studied for long-term use. For instance, it was recently reported that Viagra samples given to men who participated in a clinical trial exhibited adverse effects in 14% of the cases. Specifically, the drug was linked to dizziness and headaches in some patients. Although these side effects are not harmful in themselves, they can be a precursor to potentially more serious health problems. This highlights the importance of patient monitoring when using these types of drugs.
Increased Suicidal Tendencies
An even more serious issue that needs to be considered when offering patients cheaper generic drugs is the question of safety. When compared to brand-name equivalents, generics are usually much cheaper, but this does not always translate to being of comparable quality. This can pose a serious problem, especially if the drug in question is a psychiatric treatment and the side effects are as yet unidentified or unrecognized. In one instance, a brand-name antipsychotic was shown to increase the risk of suicide in patients by 23% compared to placebo. Although the generics were proven to be just as effective, concerns over their safety suggest that healthcare providers should exercise extreme caution when considering their use.
Potential For Addiction
One of the most significant side effects associated with Viagra is addiction. Just like with any other drug, if a patient becomes dependent on it, tolerance can develop and cause some serious problems. For that reason, healthcare providers should exercise extreme caution when considering the use of this substance by patients, and maybe even their family members. While there is no medical evidence to suggest that people are becoming addicted to Viagra, it does appear that it is being overprescribed by doctors. Studies have shown that about half of all men who take Viagra will experience some form of erectile dysfunction. Due to its addictive nature and severe side effects, it would be best for patients if they avoided it entirely.
Cost
One of the major reasons why healthcare providers decide to prescribe cheaper alternatives such as Viagra is because they can negotiate great discounts with pharmaceutical companies. However, if your hospital or clinic is on the same medication plan as your colleagues, you may find that you are charged higher prices for the same medication. For instance, the medication plan for Viagra in the U.S. is $10 per month, while the plan for Lexapro is $16 per month. In some cases, this can amount to a $1,000 difference over the course of a year. While this can seem like a lot of money, it can be worth it if the savings lead to better healthcare and control of costs.
The bottom line is that while healthcare providers should always prioritize the needs of their patients, sometimes they need to consider other priorities as well. In these cases, it is usually best to go with what they know and have experience with, and in some instances, that may be a cheaper alternative that needs to be considered. In rare instances, it may be harmful to their patients and their own healthcare costs to choose a cheaper drug when a more expensive alternative is available. In these cases, it is usually best to prescribe the more expensive medication until further research confirms its safety and efficacy. Only then, should the provider consider switching to the cheaper medication. In most cases, this will mean fewer side effects and potentially fewer costs in the long run.