VIAGRA WILL NOT BE INDICATED OR EFFECTIVE FOR ONE-THIRD OF PATIENTS

GPS EXPECT THAT VIAGRA WILL NOT BE INDICATED OR EFFECTIVE FOR ONE-THIRD (36%) OF PATIENTS WITH ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

Half (48%) of GPs expect to prescribe an alternative treatment themselves

In anticipation of the Canadian launch of various new medications to treat patients with erectile dysfunction, Janssen-Ortho Inc. commissioned the Angus Reid Group to undertake an evaluation of general practitioners' expectations of these new drugs and their place in therapy.

The poll was conducted between July 20th and August 7th, 1998 among a randomly selected sample of 100 general practitioners and has an associated margin of error of +/-10 percentage points nineteen times out of twenty.

On average, doctors predict Viagra will not be indicated or effective for one-third of patients with erectile dysfunction

General practitioners were asked to indicate for what proportion of their patients with erectile dysfunction they imagine Viagra will be indicated and effective. On average, GPs predict that Viagra will be indicated and effective for 64 percent of their patients with erectile dysfunction. Conversely, GPs expect that one-third (36%) of their patients with erectile dysfunction will not be appropriate candidates for Viagra or effectively treated with Viagra (that is, the drug will not be indicated and effective).

Nine in ten (92%) anticipate being pressured to prescribe Viagra

While GPs do not expect Viagra to be effective and indicated for a sizable proportion of their patients, they anticipate being pressured to prescribe the drug. GPs were asked if they personally anticipate having to deal with some pressure from the male patients in their practice to prescribe Viagra once it becomes available. Nine in ten (92%) expect to be pressured to provide the drug while only one-in-ten (7%) don't expect any pressure.

Half of GPs expect to prescribe alternative treatments

In circumstances where Viagra is inappropriate or would be ineffective, GPs who do not expect Viagra to be effective or indicated in all cases (99% of sample) were asked to consider what they would most likely do. Specifically, they were asked if they would prescribe alternative treatments or refer these patients to a specialist. GPs are split on these two courses of action as half (48%) indicate that they would prescribe alternative treatments and half (51%) indicate that they would refer these patients to a specialist.

GPs value continuing education

As new treatments for erectile dysfunction, like Viagra and MUSE, become available and as GPs consider prescription options, this poll asked GPs what type of information, guidance or other support, if any, they would like to receive from specialists in this field. At the top of their wish list, one-quarter (23%) of GPs indicate that they would be interested in participating in continuing education courses (i.e., CME courses) on the subject. In addition, 15 percent cite information and brochures among the items that they would like to receive from the specialists in this field. GPs also express an interest in receiving guidance from specialists (10%) and obtaining details about the risks (9%).

Lack of confidence in accuracy of public representation of alternative treatments

Respondents were told that "much of the recent publicity about erectile dysfunction has focused on Viagra, however there has also been some discussion of the alternative treatments". They were then asked to indicate if they feel the alternative treatments have been portrayed very accurately, somewhat accurately, not very accurately or not at all accurately.

The survey results demonstrate some lack of confidence amongst physicians in the accuracy of recent publicity about alternative treatments to Viagra. While a majority of GPs (69%) believe that the alternative treatments have been portrayed accurately, this assessment is very soft - only 6 percent believe the publicity has been very accurate and 63 percent indicate that it has been somewhat accurate. In addition, 25 percent of GPs categorize the public portrayal of alternative treatments as not accurate (22% not very accurately; 3% not at all accurately).

For more information on this news release, please contact:

Leslie Greenberg/Andrea Bannister
Hill and Knowlton Canada Limited
Toronto, Ontario
(416) 413-4731 / (416) 413-4650
or 1-800-565-4535

Rose Sottile
Research Manager, Strategic Communications
The Angus Reid Group
Toronto, Ontario
(416) 324-2900