Treatment Options for Male Erectile Dysfunction

Policy issue: In 1999 in response to the direct marketing of sildenafil (Viagra®) to patients, the VHA Chief Patient Care Services Officer requested information on effectiveness of treatments for erectile dysfunction (ED) to guide recommendations on the availability of treatments within VHA. At that time, Viagra® was not on the National formulary or any Veteran Integrated Service Network (VISN) formulary, but physicians could prescribe it using local off-formulary procedures in accordance with VA's Guidelines on "The Primary Care Management of Erectile Dysfunction."

Assessment: VATAP commissioned a systematic review from the VA Coordinating Center of the Cochrane Review Group in Prostatic Diseases and Urologic Cancers in Minneapolis, Minnesota (see link below).

Treatment Options for Male Erectile Dysfunction: A Systematic Review of Published Studies of Effectiveness, 2000
• Report: Part 1  /  Report: Part 2

Current status: Viagra® is available through the VA National Formulary within the context of VHA approved guidelines.

Related information:

• See Department of Veterans Affairs Pharmacy Benefits Management Strategic Healthcare Group Prescribing and Dispensing Information for Sildenafil (Viagra®) http://www.pbm.va.gov/monitoring/edinformation.pdf



• See VA Guidelines "The Primary Care Management of Erectile Dysfunction": http://www.pbm.va.gov/guidelines/edguidelines.pdf



• VHA Office of Quality and Performance Clinical Practice Guidelines for Erectile Dysfunction: http://www.oqp.med.va.gov/cpg/ED/ED_base.htm



• More information on the VA Coordinating Center of the Cochrane Review Group in Prostatic Diseases and Urologic Cancers in Minneapolis, Minnesota http://www.cochrane.org/cochrane/revabstr/PROSTATEAbstractIndex.htm *