ArticleSexual medicine2021
Facing Counterfeit Medications in Sexual Medicine. A Systematic Scoping Review on Social Strategies and Technological Solutions.
Article in Sexual medicine, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 29 citations in OpenAlex.
- Combined Thermal and Colorimetric Analysis as a Tool for Detecting Counterfeit ViagraPharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Food effect on pharmacokinetic profiles of sildenafil 100 mg oral films in healthy male volunteers: results from two randomized, single dose, crossover studies.Sexual medicine · 2025Article
- Future perspectives for PDE5 inhibitors bridging the gap between cardiovascular health and psychological status.Basic and clinical andrology · 2025Review
- The usefulness of infrared spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction in the analysis of falsified, illegal, and medicinal products.Frontiers in chemistry · 2025Review
- Search Engines and Generative Artificial Intelligence Integration: Public Health Risks and Recommendations to Safeguard Consumers Online.JMIR public health and surveillance · 2024Article
- Radio frequency identification technology; A method of analysis of falsified pharmaceutical products: Literature review.SAGE open medicine · 2024Review
- Article
- The Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine (SIAMS), along with ten other Italian Scientific Societies, guidelines on the diagnosis and management of erectile dysfunction.Journal of endocrinological investigation · 2023Article
- Community Pharmacists' Experiences and Attitudes towards the Provision of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services: An International Survey.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Effect of the new 75-mg orodispersible film of sildenafil on erection and sexual quality of life: insights from an observational study.Sexual medicine · 2023Article
- Identification of Sildenafil Compound in Selected Drugs Using X-ray Study and Thermal Analysis.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Orodispersible Film (ODF) Platform Based on Maltodextrin for Therapeutical Applications.Pharmaceutics · 2022Review
- Assessment of a New Formulation of Sildenafil on Common Practice: An Observational Study.International journal of reproductive medicine · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionThe counterfeit phenomenon is a largely under-reported issue, with potentially large burden for healthcare. The market for counterfeit drugs used in sexual medicine, most notably type 5 phosphodiesterase inhibitors (PDE5i), is rapidly growing.
aimsTo report the health risks associated with the use of counterfeit medications, the reasons driving their use, and the strategies enacted to contain this phenomenon.
methodsA systematic scoping review of the literature regarding counterfeit PDE5i was carried between January and June 2021, then updated in August 2021.
main outcome measureWe primarily aimed to clarify the main drivers for counterfeit PDE5i use, the health risks associated, and the currently available strategies to fight counterfeiters.
resultsOne hundred thirty-one records were considered for the present scoping review. Production of fake PDE5i is highly lucrative and the lacking awareness of the potential health risks makes it a largely exploitable market by counterfeiters. Adulteration with other drugs, microbial contamination and unreliable dosages make counterfeit medications a cause of worry also outside of the sexual medicine scope. Several laboratory techniques have been devised to identify and quantify the presence of other compounds in counterfeit medications. Strategies aimed at improving awareness, providing antitampering packaging and producing non-falsifiable products, such as the orodispersible formulations, are also described. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Improving our understanding of the PDE5i counterfeit phenomenon can be helpful to promote awareness of this issue and to improve patient care. STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS: Despite the systematic approach, few clinical studies were retrieved, and data concerning the prevalence of counterfeit PDE5i use is not available on a global scale.
conclusionThe counterfeit phenomenon is a steadily growing issue, with PDE5i being the most counterfeited medication with potentially large harmful effects on unaware consumers. Sansone A, Cuzin B, and Jannini EA. Facing Counterfeit Medications in Sexual Medicine. A Systematic Scoping Review on Social Strategies and Technological Solutions. Sex Med 2021;9:100437.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.