General medical practitioners have been told what constitutes "severe distress" for which Viagra can be prescribed on the National Health Service (our Lobby correspondent writes).
Guidance issued by the National Health Service Executive in response to complaints from GPs that "severe distress" was too vague a description, includes expanded descriptions of the circumstances in which Viagra can be prescribed.
Key indicators of severe distress include significant disruption to normal social and occupational activities, and marked effects on mood, behaviour, social and environmental awareness. These include men being so concerned about sexual problems affecting personal relationships that their work is disrupted to such a degree that they risk losing their jobs.
The guidance does not define how close or long-standing a relationship should have been, nor the nature of the sexuality involved.
A Department of Health spokesman said that there had been no relaxation of the original prescribing restrictions (PJ, May 15, p680), but that guidance had been issued after doctors asked for more information. The circular was not meant for wider publication.