Viagra Connect
Viagra Connect tablets to treat erectile dysfunction in men. New brand, same medicine as Viagra 50mg or generic sildenafil 50mg.
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11,800 Dr Fox reviews
How to buy online
- Read medical information about erectile dysfunction
- Answer medical questions to check for eligibility
- Reviewed by doctors - posted from UK pharmacy
Viagra Connect and alternatives
Viagra Connect is a new brand of Viagra available from pharmacies without prescription. It is the same medicine as sildenafil, or generic Viagra, which Dr Fox supplies at much lower cost from £1.35 per tablet. Generic Viagra (sildenafil) is medically identical to it's branded equivalent (see generic medicine FAQs).
Prices
| Tablet type | 4 tablets | 8 tablets | 16 tablets | 32 tablets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viagra Connect 50mg | £19.99 | £34.99 | £69.98 | £139.96 |
| Sildenafil 25mg | £8.60 | £14.80 | £24.80 | £43.20 |
| Sildenafil 50mg | £9.20 | £16.20 | £26.80 | £52.00 |
| Sildenafil 100mg | £9.80 | £17.80 | £28.40 | £54.00 |
Prescription fees
Dr Fox supplies medicine on prescription and charges a small prescription fee based on the order value of each prescription.
Prescriptions are issued by our doctors online and sent electronically to our pharmacy.
If you have your own private paper prescription please post to our pharmacy (details).
Dr Fox prices are 25%–50% lower than other UK online clinics.
| Order value | Prescription fee |
|---|---|
| up to £10 | £1.00 |
| up to £20 | £3.00 |
| up to £50 | £5.00 |
| up to £100 | £8.00 |
| over £100 | £10.00 |
Delivery charges
UK delivery only: £2.90 per consultation via Royal Mail 24 Signed For (1-3 working days with tracking).
Parcel forwarding services are not permitted. Use only UK home or work delivery address.
What is Viagra Connect?
Viagra Connect is the same as ordinary Viagra, but in a pack which can be supplied by pharmacies without a prescription. The active ingredient is called sildenafil. Sildenafil is available at a lower price than both Viagra Connect or Viagra.
Viagra Connect is available only in 50mg strength, in packs of 4 or 8 tablets. 50mg is the 'starting dose' for most men, and pharmacies are limited in the quantity they can supply 'over the counter'. Viagra and sildenafil are available in 25mg, 50mg, and 100mg strengths in packs of 4 and 8, but more than one pack at a time can be supplied from Dr Fox.
Sildenafil is the generic version of Viagra. It is the same medicine with the same effects, but generic sildenafil is significantly lower cost (about half the price). Most men have switched away from taking Viagra to taking sildenafil due to big cost savings.
Further medicines information can be found on the Dr Fox Viagra and sildenafil pages.
Viagra Connect is sildenafil 50mg or Viagra 50mg branded and supplied in a different way. Sildenafil and Viagra require a prescription, which can be an electronic prescription, Viagra Connect does not.
How to buy Viagra Connect
In order to obtain Viagra Connect men must undergo an assessment. This assessment can be carried out online, or by a pharmacist in-store. The in-store assessment may require an appointment.
Dr Fox provides an online assessment for Viagra Connect and other erectile dysfunction treatment. At the end of the online assessment a range of erectile dysfunction medicines can be requested, including low cost sildenafil or Viagra Connect, Viagra, and the alternative tablets of Cialis, Levitra and Spedra. All strengths and various quantities and combinations can be requested.
Medical checks for erectile dysfunction
Before requesting treatment from Dr Fox, men must read the medical information which provides background information about erectile dysfunction and its treatment.
It is important that men with erectile dysfunction are properly assessed and advised about treatment. This includes consulting a doctor prior to obtaining treatment online.
Why can Viagra Connect be supplied without a prescription?
Pfizer, the pharmaceutical company which developed Viagra, successfully applied to the UK medicines licensing authority, the MHRA, to supply sildenafil 50mg direct from pharmacies. Pfizer was able to make the case that sildenafil could be supplied safely without the need for prescription, but instead with a check from an in-store pharmacist. Sildenafil has few common serious side effects and interactions and is usually an effective medicine.
This does not mean erectile dysfunction (ED) is not a significant medical condition which can cause considerable distress. It also does not mean men with ED do not need a full medical assessment, which might include investigations and tests. ED can be a sign of underlying problems with circulation or a number of other medical conditions.
How do erectile dysfunction medicines work?
Both Viagra and Viagra Connect are brand names for a medicine, the medical name of which is sildenafil. Sildenafil works by changing blood flow in the penis during sexual stimulation. It does this by inhibiting an enzyme called phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5). It is a PDE5 inhibitor.
Other treatments for erectile dysfunction such as Cialis (tadalafil), Levitra (vardenafil), and Spedra (avanafil), are also PDE5 inhibitors. The main difference between these treatments is the duration of action. They stay active for different lengths of time: 1 tablet of Viagra or Viagra Connect (sildenafil) will last about 4 hours; Spedra (avanafil) also lasts about 4 hours; Levitra (vardenafil) for about 12 hours; and Cialis (tadalafil) for about 36 hours.
Advantages of Viagra Connect
Men who need erectile dysfunction treatment straight away, the same day, can now go to a pharmacy for their tablets. They might need to make an appointment, and would need an in-store assessment, but potentially it is same day treatment. Dr Fox usually can provide next day delivery for orders made in the morning, but not same day.
Disadvantages of Viagra Connect
The main disadvantage is cost. Viagra Connect is a 50mg tablet of sildenafil (around £5 each), and sildenafil 50mg can be bought online for a lot less (around £1.35 each). The saving is considerable (see prices above).
If obtained online, the treatment is delivered by post with a signature required. This saves a trip to a pharmacy.
Some men may prefer not to have to have a face-to-face pharmacy assessment to obtain treatment.
Men can obtain different strengths of tablets online, not just 50mg tablets. 50mg of sildenafil is the usual starting dose, but some men require 100mg or 25mg. Dr Fox supplies 25mg, 50mg, and 100mg tablets.
Viagra Connect is available from pharmacies only in packs of 4 or 8 tablets. Greater quantities are available online, and combinations of different strengths and alternative treatments.
Patient information leaflet
The 'Patient Information Leaflet' supplied with the medicine must be read before taking tablets.
Viagra Connect patient leaflet
Viagra Connect FAQs
Is it suitable for all men?
For a full list of cautions and medicine interactions see the patient information leaflet for Viagra Connect.
Men should not take Viagra Connect without first discussing with their own doctor if they have certain medical conditions: breathlessness, low or high blood pressure; recent heart attack; a history of heart disease or stroke; serious kidney (renal) or liver disease; angulation or deformity of the penis; Leukaemia; multiple myeloma, or sickle cell disease; bleeding disorders; stomach ulcers.
Do not take Viagra Connect if you also take nitrate medicine (chest pain or heart failure) or amyl nitrates (poppers), riociguat (high blood pressure in lungs), or ritonavir (HIV treatment), or other ED treatment.
Are there any side effects?
The most common side effects of Viagra Connect (sildenafil) are headache, flushing, dyspepsia (indigestion), visual disorders, nasal congestion, dizziness, and visual colour distortion.
In the rare event of serious side effects men should seek immediate medical advice. This applies particularly to chest pains (possibly cardiac), loss of vision, and prolonged and painful erections (priapism).
For a full list of side effects see the patient information leaflet for Viagra Connect.
Will it work every time?
According to the study data for Viagra Connect (sildenafil 50mg) 74% of men reported that treatment improved their erections. This figure increases to 82% of men using sildenafil 100mg.
There are times when ED tablets might not work and may not improve or overcome the underlying cause of erectile dysfunction. Satisfactory erections require the following:
- Adequate blood supply
- Arousal
- Healthy nervous system
Are other ED tablets available without prescription?
Not currently (10 April 2018). It is likely in the next year or two that other drug companies will also apply to the MHRA to reclassify their own preparations of sildenafil 50mg to a 'Pharmacy medicine' making it available without prescription, based on the already approved application by Pfizer. Other ED tablets such as Cialis (tadalafil), Levitra (vardenafil), and Spedra (avanafil) are also likely to be reclassified as 'Pharmacy medicine' but the process would take significantly longer.
Can I get Viagra Connect on the NHS?
Your GP can prescribe Viagra, although usually will limit the quantity to 1 per week and most will prescribe the generic version sildenafil. NHS prescription fees will apply. See Sildenafil on the NHS.
See also erectile dysfunction FAQs page.
Start orderAuthored 9 April 2018 by Dr Tony Steele
Reviewed 10 April 2018 by Dr B. Babor, Dr A. Wood, Dr P. Hunt
Last updated 20 April 2018
