The confusion surrounding the right to reproduce generic versions of Viagra has left many consumers baffled. The thousands of sites selling little blue pills do little to clear confusion up, and in fact foment the problem further. This is because many of these so called online pharmacies illegally sell Viagra in generic form despite the fact that the treatment patent has yet to expire. These sites tout generic Viagra as either the real thing or aim to convince potential customers that what they are selling is above board. So, what’s the difference between branded Pfizer Viagra and generic sildenafil citrate ?
Essentially at this stage we are looking at the legality of production and sale. Until March 2012, when the patent on Viagra expires, no other company except for Pfizer may produce any pill containing the active ingredient sildenafil citrate, nor can anyone other than Pfizer call their product Viagra. This is because the chemical compound mix which makes up the blue diamond-shaped pill and the brand name “Viagra” are both copyright protected. Anyone who does so goes against international copyright law, and infringes the law. Companies who act against the law are unlikely to act in the interest of others, which means the pills they produce are unlikely to have been quality tested. A lack of quality testing can be dangerous as there is basically no guarantee on the type of ingredients or sanitary conditions used during the production stage. This can only mean that in buying and taking an illegally produced generic you are playing Russian roulette with your health. Companies like this are also unlikely to care about how your personal and financial data are used or stored putting you at risk of fraud.
The bottom line, for now is to remain vigilant and to avoid buying generic sildenafil citrate.
