In the United States, a generic version of Viagra will not be legally available until 2017, when Teva Pharmaceuticals will be permitted to begin marketing a generic version under an agreement it reached with Pfizer in late 2013. Until Teva’s generic version hits U.S. pharmacy shelves, U.S. buyers should be wary of any product purporting to be generic Viagra.
In markets where Pfizer’s patent on Viagra has expired, generic versions of the drug that are manufactured by government-approved pharmaceutical companies should be essentially that same as Viagra produced by Pfizer. Such markets include the European Union, South Korea, and China (July 2014). Even in those markets, however, consumers should steer clear of so-called generics offered by online vendors of unknown reputation. Counterfeit drugs continue to flood the market, and the best way to avoid falling victim to these fakes is to buy prescription medications only from reputable retailers that dispense drugs manufactured by government-approved pharmaceutical companies.