Q. Until recently the airwaves were full of commercials for Viagra, but I haven’t seen many, if any, in the last few months. Why has Pfizer cut back on its advertising for Viagra?
A. For almost two decades, Viagra was widely advertised in both print and broadcast media. Eli Lilly & Company’s Cialis was also widely touted, particularly in TV commercials. However, those advertising campaigns are winding down as the introduction of generic alternatives to Viagra nears.
Because generics are most popular because they are lower in cost than the brand-name drugs for which they substitute, the sales of Viagra will certainly decline significantly when generics hit the market. However, because generic Viagra can accomplish the same goals as the other brand-name ED drugs, sales of those other drugs are also likely to decline.
Although Viagra will be first to face generic competition, beginning in December 2017, Cialis is now expected to square off against generic substitutes beginning as early as September 2018. And Levitra’s patent is due to expire in 2018, so it too will face generic competition before too much longer.