Erectile dysfunction market reaching saturation in Netherlands
The market for erectile dysfunction treatments in the Netherlands is showing signs of saturation, with a slow-down in growth in 2005 and even a decline in the first six months of 2006, according to the Dutch Foundation for Pharmaceutical Statistics (SFK).
The market for erectile dysfunction treatments in the Netherlands is showing signs of saturation, with a slow-down in growth in 2005 and even a decline in the first six months of 2006, according to the Dutch Foundation for Pharmaceutical Statistics (SFK).
The total volume of treatments sold (intercavernous injections and tablets together), increased in 2005 by 3.5% at 245,000 units, down on the 10% growth rates of previous years.
During the first half of 2006, 42,000 men bought a treatment, which represents a drop of 7% compared with the same period in 2005 (45,000 men).
From these customers, 38% were beginning a treatment for the first time - a reduction of two percentage points compared with the first half year in 2005.
However, sales of intercavernous injections increased by 8% at 13,000 units in volume and by 5.4% at Euro 941,000 in value.
The leading erectile dysfunction injection is Androskat by Altana (papaverine and phentolamine) with an 8% increase at 12,000 units sold (sales of €863,000).
This change in the market for impotence treatments is linked to the fact that only intercavernous injections are reimbursed in the Netherlands while oral treat-ments are paid for entirely by the user, the SFK points out.
Overall, sales of oral treatments increased by 7.7% at €14m in value and by 3.1% at 232,000 units in volume.
The most popular treatment remains Viagra from Pfizer (sildenafil) but its importance is continuing to decline with a decrease of 6% in volume sold at 147,000 units and one of 3% for sales at €9m.
The market shares have been whittled away by direct competitors, mainly by Lilly ICOS' Cialis (tadalafil), for which the sales volume went up by 28% at 68,000 units and sales by 39% at €3.9m.
Men aged between 55 and 65 years are the most numerous customers, forming 38% of the total number of users.
However, the most common use is between 65 and 69 years, with 2.7 daily defined doses (ddd) for 1,000 men, compared with 2.5 ddd for 1,000 men between 55 and 65 years and 2.1 ddd for 1,000 men between 70 and 74 years.