The Little Pink Pill Has Arrived

The FDA has approved the first female libido drug, from Sprout Pharmaceuticals called flibanserin. Many women who suffer from sexual dysfunction and lack of sexual desire are in support of the pill but critics worry that hard side effects may be a major concern.

The Female Viagra: Is it safe?

Critics worry that it's not clear whether the drug actually fixes the problem, and once it's released to the market, thousands of women will begin to take it. Some even propose there's no such thing as the medical condition drugmarkeres are marketing it with, which is called 'hypoactive sexual desire disorder.' One doctor actually insinuated that this condition was invented by Big Pharma.

Experts at the FDA hearing say that 7% of women have this condition which isn't caused by depression or other medical conditions. The FDA is requiring that this condition affect a woman's daily life. Representatives from Sprout said this drug wasn't created to make women hyper-sexual, but more aimed at 're-balancing moderation.' 

The founder has argued the unfairness for no female libido drug on the market, when compared to 25 approved drugs are for some form of male sexual dysfunction and erectile dysfunction.

Little Pink Pill Works on Your Brain

Unlike Viagra, which affects blood flow to the genitals, this pill works on the brain. It was originally invented to sell the testosterone patch, according to experts, but women who have low libido can be caused by many different things, including medications, birth control and antidepressants.

Researchers have been aware for many years that female sexual desire actually stems from the brain, which makes female desire or sexual disorders so difficult to treat. This complexity of where desire stems from and how it's manifested may not simply be solved by a little pink pill. Studies have named three main neurotransmitters or love hormone triggers: adrenaline, dopamine and serotonin. 

The drug would be taken once per day at bedtime but it's not deemed as a hormonal supplement.

How will they know it will work? The drugmaker is utilizing a scale called the Female Sexual Function Index where women are questioned on their sexual desire or interest and answer based on a five-point scale ranging from never --> always.

According to the International Journal of Women's Health, 1 in 10 women suffer from HSDD and there are no medical treatments available.

The drug could be approved by August 18.  The FDA would approve it only if Sprout Pharmaceuticals works to decrease the side effects which include low blood pressure, dizziness and fainting.