Why Viagra Was Invented

Did you know that when Morpheus presented Neo with the red pill vs. blue pill ultimatum in "The Matrix," that little blue pill in his left hand was in fact Viagra? Okay, so that's definitely not true, but there are scores of men across the planet who have chosen the little blue pill to assist in certain primordial activities for the past few decades. Since its public approval by the FDA on March 27, 1998, Viagra has garnered tens of billions of dollars in revenue and continues to be one of the leading drugs to treat erectile dysfunction on the market (via Fortune). 

However, people might be surprised to find out that Viagra wasn't initially designed to treat impotence in men. True, it's famously effective in that regard, but it was originally crafted by chemists at Pfizer to treat hypertension and angina pectoris, or high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease (via History).

At first, experts were dejected when they discovered that their experimental substance did little in the way of treating high blood pressure and cardiovascular complications. However, there was a major side effect that inadvertently granted purpose to Sildenafil (the chemical name for Viagra): It was supremely adept at producing penile erections within 30 to 60 minutes of ingestion. Until that point, there were few solutions that men experiencing impotence could turn to, so Silendafil presented Pfizer with an economic opportunity that they capitalized on (via History). 

Silendafil was patented in 1996, and two years later it hit pharmacy shelves under the official name of "Viagra." The FDA marketed it as having notable promise for treating "erectile dysfunction," a term that didn't exist before then, and its popularity skyrocketed. Though it's still unclear, sources generally credit Albert Wood and Peter Dunn with inventing the drug (per History).

In the first year alone, Viagra mustered nearly a billion dollars in sales, which was staggering for a new drug fresh on the market. Ex-presidential candidate Bob Dole famously appeared in commercials endorsing Viagra and vouched for its effectivity. While Dole was in his mid-70s at the time, the pill is routinely used by men in their 30s and 40s experiencing erectile dysfunction to this day (per History). 

Competing drugs like Cialis and Levitra were later introduced, and despite being the second most preferred treatment for erectile dysfunction today (Cialis coming in at number one), Viagra continues to inspire staggering numbers in sales each year (via Psychology Today). Single Care reports that about three-quarters of men (74%) who have taken Viagra say that it works for them. It's true, the competition is "stiff," but so is the lifespan of the iconic little blue pill that changed the bedroom game for men across the world.