A Brief History
On March 27, 1998, the FDA approved Viagra, a medication to treat erectile dysfunction. Along with a host of possible negative side effects, Viagra is now often used recreationally to enhance sexual performance by men and women, by athletes who believe the drug enhances athletic performance, and by illegal drug dealers that adulterate other drugs with Viagra.
Digging Deeper
Endorsement ads by former Senator and Republican Presidential nominee Bob Dole and soccer legend Pele helped launch the product, and today counterfeit Viagra is readily available, although often with dangerous ingredients such as rat poison!
Some other controversial medicines include:
Vaccines of all types, especially for Covid-19, due to rampant conspiracy theories.
Morning After Pill, aka, Plan B, used to prevent pregnancy after having sex, that does not actually end a pregnancy.
and Mifepristone, aka, the Abortion Pill, that can actually end a pregnancy up to 70 days after conception.
Question for students (and subscribers): What medicine do you find to be questionable? Please let us know in the comments section below this article.
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Allen, Arthur. Vaccine: The Controversial Story of Medicine’s Greatest Lifesaver. W. W. Norton & Company, 2008.
Johnston, Dr. Andrew. Viagra: Extensive Health Guide to Viagra: Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction, Moxibustion Reduction, and Sexual Depression. Independently published, 2023.
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