RIYADH, 6 May 2003 — Cialis, the almond-shaped yellow-colored pill to treat erectile dysfunction, is to be formally launched in the Kingdom today following approval by the Ministry of Health.
Saudi Arabia is the first country in the region to permit marketing of Cialis, which is said to be effective in the treatment of mild to severe cases of erectile dysfunction.
Dr. Ahmed Refaei, country manager of Eli Lilly and Company, the producer of Cialis, said the medicine was effective for up to 24 hours in response to sexual stimulation.
According to a group of medical experts, 50 percent of men over 45 years of age in the Kingdom are believed to suffer from sexual dysfunction or weaknesses.
Globally, the United Nations has projected that 322 million men will be suffering from erectile dysfunction by the year 2025.
Erectile dysfunction has been reported to affect at least one in 10 of the adult population.
In Saudi Arabia, people became more widely aware of the problem following the launch of Viagra, another drug effective in the treatment of erectile dysfunction.
However, pharmacies and the people in the Kingdom are adopting a watch-and-wait attitude to the new drug to evaluate patients’ response.
