Erection treatments on the NHS

When Viagra became available, the Government feared a spiralling bill for drugs and so introduced new guidelines for the prescription of drugs for ED.

As from 1 July 1999, GPs have been able to prescribe ED treatments on the NHS for men with these medical conditions:

• Men treated for prostate cancer
• Men who have had a prostatectomy (including TURP, transurethral resection of the prostate)
• Men suffering from spinal cord injury
• Men treated for renal failure by dialysis or transplant
• Men with diabetes
• Men with multiple sclerosis
• Men with single gene neurological disease
• Men with spina bifida
• Men who have had polio
• Men with Parkinson's disease
• Men with severe pelvic injury
• Men who have had radical pelvic surgery

Men who are not affected by one of the above conditions may be able to receive treatment but only if, after a specialist assessment in a hospital, they are judged to be experiencing severe distress caused by ED.

Men who were receiving drug treatment for ED from their GP on 14 September 1998 and who do not fit into the above categories can continue to receive treatment.

The drug treatments affected are alprostadil (Caverject, Muse and Viridal) and sildenafil (Viagra).

Men who are not eligible for treatment on the NHS are still able to receive a private prescription from their own GP. The GP will not charge a fee for writing the prescription but the patient has to pay the full cost of the drug.

This page has not been updated since 1999.