KUCHING: The pharmaceutical division of Johnson & Johnson, Janssen-Cilag launched Priligy, the world’s first oral tablet medication for premature ejaculation.
According to a press release issued from Kuala Lumpur yesterday, Priligy (dapoxetine) is a drug specifically developed for on-demand treatment of premature ejaculation (PE) in men 18 to 64 years of age.
The medicine, approved to treat PE, provides an effective and safe option for patients who want to take control of their condition and improve their sexual health with their partners.
“As a leader in healthcare, we are committed to investing in Research & Development that delivers superior therapies and medical solutions that improve the health and well-being of patients everywhere. PE continues to present challenges to men, their partners and the medical community in recognising it as a medical condition.
“Priligy offers a clinically-proven option for the millions of men and their partners to address a medical condition that has a critical role in fulfilling intimate relationships. Malaysia is one of the first Asian countries to have access to this drug and we believe it will really help many couples who are suffering from PE out there get their love life back on track,” said its Medical Affairs manager from Janssen-Cilag, Joyce Seak.
Joyce said about 29 per cent of Malaysian men could be suffering from PE, who are under-reported and under diagnosed sexual disorder that has threatened thousands of relationships.
According to results from the Asia Pacific Premature Ejaculation Prevalence and Attitude Study (AP PEPA) involving over 5,000 heterosexual men, the level of awareness of this common medical condition remains low in the region.
The study revealed that most men were unwilling and reluctant to discuss the condition openly and a majority of couples do not fully comprehend PE, leading to frustration and distress.
The study also highlighted an urgent need for a better treatment option that provides on-demand help to manage the condition.
“Priligy is an important medical breakthrough for physicians and patients alike. We have observed a need for an on-demand oral medication, which is specifically indicated to treat premature ejaculation effectively and safely. The approval of Priligy is an important step for doctors, patients and their partners.
“Doctors today will be able to provide men with a product that has been specifically developed for premature ejaculation and that is proven to be effective and safe,” said President of the Malaysian Urological Association Professor Dr Azad Hassan Abdul Razack.
“Premature ejaculation as an under-reported sexual condition is the most common and yet least understood sexual disorder among men.
“Between 20 to 30 per cent of men may experience PE at some point in their lives, and it affects men of all ages.”
The International Society of Sexual Medicine defines PE as a male sexual dysfunction characterised by ejaculation which always or nearly always occurs prior to, or within about one minute of vaginal penetration and the inability to delay ejaculation on all or nearly all vaginal penetrations; and causing negative personal consequences, such as distress, bother, frustration and/or the avoidance of sexual intimacy.
Men who suffer from PE may experience frustration, grief, anger, disappointment and lower self-confidence because of the lack of control they have over ejaculation during sex.
PE not only affects the patient but also the patient’s partner by adversely affecting their sexual intimacy and quality of life, which is important in an interpersonal relationship.
“For the first time patients now have access to an on-demand oral drug to treat this common medical condition. This is a significant advancement in treatment for sexual health and we are glad to have this available for Malaysian men today,” said Consultant Urologist and Honorary President of Malaysian Society of Andrology & The Study of Aging Male, Dato Dr Tan Hui Meng.
He said a patient would be asked specific questions from their doctor, to help understand their sexual history and patterns associated with the condition.