Date: May 2, 2006

In the latest wrangling match between the medicinal plants community and the pharmaceutical companies, the former has notched a point higher by saying a strict ‘No’ to the use of Viagra and other erectile dysfunction drugs in patients with optic neuropathy.

According to a recent press release of The Committee for Medicinal Plants for Human Use (CHMP), the use of erectile dysfunctions drugs like Viagra, Cialis and Levitra in patients who suffer from blindness in one eye as a result of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) has been discouraged strongly. The statement also said that the CHMP is recommending the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) that these anti-impotence drugs like Viagra, along with Pfizer’s Revatio used in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension, should be contraindicated in these patients.

There have been reports in the past few years of people getting permanent vision loss due to the use of these drugs. Non-arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy may probably crop up when the flow of blood to the optic nerve is totally blocked and cut off. It has the possibility of leading to permanent vision damage. The CHMP is on a full scale alert to avert such catastrophe from taking place further.

Source: urotoday.com

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