Do women really need the little pink pill?

 In August 2015 , the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) approved Addyi ‘s marketing application. This drug, accidentally developed during the manufacturing process of an antidepressant, claims to improve hypoactive sexual desire disorder ( HSDD ) in women . Considering that many sexual dysfunction medications currently on the market are only for men, pharmaceutical companies and civic groups supporting the drug hailed the FDA ‘s approval as a victory for feminism. However, a number of women’s groups and academics have expressed concerns about the drug’s release.

While this drug is widely known as “female Viagra,” seemingly offering a convenient and effective solution to women’s low libido, similar to the benefits of Viagra for men, the truth is, it’s not Viagra! Both its mechanism of action and dosage differ significantly from Viagra. Viagra, a medication that helps men’s corpora cavernosa engorgement with blood to address erectile dysfunction, has nothing to do with sexual desire; it can be taken one hour before sexual activity. Addyi , however, works by stimulating the release of chemicals in the brain to influence women’s mood and libido. Because it acts on the brain, Addyi must be taken daily for weeks to months to achieve its claimed effects.

Besides the lack of guaranteed efficacy, another major concern is the lack of sufficient empirical evidence regarding its safety. Addyi is known to cause serious side effects such as low blood pressure, dizziness, and fatigue, and its interactions with other substances (such as alcohol and birth control medications) are unclear. Previous studies have even suggested an increased risk of breast cancer. However, the pharmaceutical company has yet to provide sufficient research data to confirm its safety. In the alcohol safety test reported by the drug company, only two of the 25 participants were women, making it insufficiently representative.

In reality, the existence of hypoactive sexual desire disorder in women is a matter of considerable debate. The American Psychotherapy Association removed hypoactive sexual desire disorder from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 2013. Furthermore, numerous studies have confirmed that women’s emotions and desires in intimate relationships are influenced by multiple factors, including their partners, social perceptions, and cultural values. They are diverse and complex , and not simply determined by specific physiological secretions. Expecting Addyi to have the same dramatic effect on women as Viagra has on men’s lives simply denies the diversity of women’s emotions and desires.

On the other hand, existing medical discourse further reveals how women’s sexual desire is misinterpreted and mistreated. Why is low libido a medical condition? Why is a woman’s unwillingness to have sex something that needs to be “treated”? This is a completely different issue from sexual dysfunction, where men want to have sex but are unable to. Perhaps, just as women’s mood swings are pathologized in male-dominated medical discourse, such as premenstrual/postmenstrual syndrome and antepartum/postpartum depression, women’s desire has become a condition that needs to be diagnosed and treated according to male standards.

The purpose emphasized by the SULTRYCARE team is to respect women. Protect their physical and mental health.