MORE men are being prescribed Viagra in Barnsley than almost anywhere else in England, the Chronicle can reveal.
New statistics from the Open Prescribing Service show 28,616 prescriptions for erectile dysfunction drugs were handed out in the former Barnsley CCG area in the year to June.
It’s slightly up from 28,560 the year before, and more than a three per cent increase on figures from 2017/18 - the year records began - when 27,591 drugs were prescribed.
It shows there was the equivalent of 30 prescriptions for erectile dysfunction in Barnsley per 100 men aged 18 and over last year - one of the highest rates in the entirety of the country.
The national average was just 20 per 100 men, with Blackpool picking up the accolade of the highest rate of 36, and North West London having a rate of just 14.
The figures are for the number of times the medication has appeared on prescriptions, but do not show the quantity of medication handed out - and multiple prescriptions can be given to the same patient.
Across the country, the drugs appeared on more than 4.3 million prescriptions, as figures continue to rise year-on-year.
The majority of these prescriptions are for a drug named sildenafil - which patients can get on the NHS if they suffer from erectile dysfunction.
If you buy sildenafil outside of the NHS, it can also be known as Viagra, Aronix, Liberize and Nipatra.
The Royal College of GPs said increased awareness and less stigma around the issue, may have contributed to a rise in the number of prescriptions handed out across the borough.
Professor Martin Marshall, chairman of the group, added there are likely a number of reasons why prescriptions for the drug continue to rise.
He said: “It may indicate lessening stigma around ED and increasing awareness of its treatments, as well as patients feeling more comfortable to come forward for treatment.
“One of the most well-known drugs sildenafil, which is widely known as Viagra, also came ‘off licence’ in recent years, making it cheaper.”
The cost to the NHS of the drugs nationally fell from £42.6m in the year to June 2018, to just £16.1m in the last year.
In Barnsley, it fell from £244,000 to £95,300 in the same time period.
Professor Marshall said GPs follow ‘strict guidelines’ when prescribing sildenafil and will only issue an NHS prescription should they meet certain criteria.
He added: “Erectile dysfunction can be a disturbing condition for many men which can impact on patients’ mental health and limit their ability to have healthy sexual relationships.”
The figures were released just months after it was revealed more than 10,000 people in the town are suffering with long Covid.
Long Covid could be one of the major ‘legacy’ effects of the pandemic, health leaders have warned.
It is not common knowledge, but there are more than 200 symptoms of long Covid, affecting ten of the body’s organ systems.
Some of the most common include fatigue, ‘brain fog’ and a high temperature, all of which are made worse after exercise, mental exertion or stress.
Among the hundreds of symptoms of long Covid are a shrinking penis and testicles, whilst a recent study found links between Covid-19 infection and erectile dysfunction.
