Briefly, impotence (or erectile dysfunction or ED) is the sexual dysfunction in men, which relates to the condition where the male organ fails to achieve and maintain sufficient erection to satisfy his partner.

Viagra (sildenafil citrate) came as a welcome relief to the patients suffering from ED. Before the advent of Viagra, the impotent men had to undergo painful surgeries and vacuum therapies to overcome their inabilities. Viagra is an FDA approved oral pill for the treatment of ED. Viagra prompted further research in this field and resultantly, two more drugs Cialis and Levitra got approval in 2003 as prescription drugs for the treatment of erectile dysfunction among men.

The only inhibitive factor surrounding Viagra is its exorbitant price. Since the drug is under patent by Pfizer Inc., the bloated price of the drug is understandable. But the market forces have found a way out of this legal rigmarole. They have unleashed generic version of Viagra promising equal efficacy at drastically reduced prices.

Generic viagra contains sildenafil citrate as its active ingredient. It is available at almost 30% of what Pfizer charges for Viagra. The reduced price is attributable to the fact that not much R&D has been devoted to the development of the drug. Moreover, generic versions are not treated as patentable inventions. So, lesser costs translate into lesser price. The manufacturers also promise the same efficiency levels for the generic versions of the drug named as generic drugs.

But there is a major rider to all these benefits. The US FDA has not approved generic Viagra for the treatment of ED for concerns that the strict quality standards have not been maintained in the manufacture of the drug. Therefore, it is not considered legal in the US to deal with generic Viagra.

Many sites offer generic Viagra online so that the patients are lured by the convenience, price and privacy and buy generic Viagra. But the patients would do well to consult their GP before resorting to the cheap generic Viagra.