Hypoactive sexual desire disorder: inventing a disease to sell low libido

@article{Meixel2015HypoactiveSD,
  title={Hypoactive sexual desire disorder: inventing a disease to sell low libido},
  author={Antonie Meixel and Elena Yanchar and Adriane Fugh-Berman},
  journal={Journal of Medical Ethics},
  year={2015},
  volume={41},
  pages={859 - 862}
}
Condition branding is a marketing technique in which companies develop conditions concurrently with developing drugs; examples include gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, social anxiety disorder, erectile dysfunction and hypoactive sexual desire disorder. Although it is illegal for pharmaceutical companies to market drugs prior to regulatory approval, there are no restrictions on marketing diseases, and industry seeks to establish a disease state in the minds of… 
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42 Citations

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Hypoactive sexual desire or low libido in women are collectively referred to as hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). HSDD is estimated to occur in 10% to 15% of adult women. HSDD is likely the…

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First Pharmacological Therapy for Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder in Premenopausal Women

Though a strong placebo response was demonstrated, flibanserin consistently, yet marginally, showed improvement in the number of satisfying sexual events per month and should be administered at bedtime to limit the risk for hypotension/syncope, accidental injury, and central nervous system (CNS) depression.

Problematic product management: the case of flibanserin to address women’s hypoactive sexual desire disorder

  • Enav Friedmann
  • Psychology
    International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing
  • 2022
Purpose A Viagra-inspired drug, flibanserin, was marketed to treat women’s hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). This paper aims to explore the value orientation of flibanserin as a treatment…

Advise Against Flibanserin.

The harms associated with flibanserin might be acceptable in a cancer drug, but they are entirely unacceptable in a drug given to healthy women for an invented condition.

Flibanserin and Female Sexual Desire.

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There is a lack of consensus as to how to conceptualize and how to treat low sexual desire in men, women, or couples and on whether to target the identified patient or the relationship.

Treatments for Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) and the Pursuit of Sexual Health for Women amidst Inglorious Rhetoric.

Re-Analyzing Phase III Bremelanotide Trials for “Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder” in Women

Bremelanotide’s modest benefits on incompletely reported post-hoc measures of questionable validity in combination with participants substantially preferring to take placebo suggest that the drug is generally not useful.

Ignorance Is Not Bliss: If We Don't Understand Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder, How Can Flibanserin Treat It? Commentary.

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