Some of you might have a certain stigma against Viagra, but there’s no denying that it’s one of the most popular medicines of our time. It has found its way to almost every corner of the Earth, including Australia, where it’s produced by Pfizer Australia. As two of the biggest cities in the country, Melbourne and Sydney have plenty of this stuff.
The original manufacturer of this medication is Pfizer, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. Unfortunately, more than 30% of men over 18 years old face impotence at least once in their lives.
Reasons for erectile dysfunction vary, from constant stress and bad habits, such as drinking alcohol and smoking, to genetic disorders and severe diseases. Loss of libido may become the main source of male issues and lack of self-esteem, so most people who suffer from this condition prefer not to disclose the problem when it comes to sexual contact. As a result, the represented drug is in high demand among the male population.
How does this medication work?
Viagra is a phosphodiesterase inhibitor. In simple terms, this medication blocks a special PDE5 (phosphodiesterase type 5) enzyme, which is responsible for the level of blood flow in the genital area. This way, more blood is received into the reproductive organ itself, causing an erection upon the presence of sexual desire.
Viagra doesn’t really provide you with a boosted erection or make you feel an enhanced sexual drive. Rather, it allows your genitalia to receive a necessary amount of blood to have an erection. Although, if a person without ED were to take a pill, they might experience a stronger erection than usual, while overdosing on Viagra may result in unnaturally strong stimulation.
Rules for buying Viagra in Sydney or Melbourne
- Like in many other countries, Viagra can’t be sold without a prescription in Sydney. It means that you’ll have to visit a doctor, get a prescription, and only then purchase this product from the place of choice. It’s not difficult for an Australian national, but visitors might have to pay for it.
- Regardless, if you exhibit enough signs of erectile dysfunction, you’ll likely get your prescription. The likelihood depends on your personal condition and other factors, but ED prescriptions are typically received without much effort. The only other limitation is that you have to be 18 or older.
- It’s also possible to get a prescription online or over-the-phone, which is now widely available in the country. That being said, it might be costly. InstantScripts, for instance, offers prescriptions without phone consultations for $19. In short, it’s fairly easy to get a script for Viagra in Australia.
- After receiving a script, you can forward it to any online or physical pharmacy in the country, regardless of the state of territory. There are lots of online pharmacies in Australia, which means you can go through the entire process of obtaining this drug without even leaving your home.
Viagra Regulation in Australia
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is the main regulator of medicine in Australia, and their list of registered products includes 102 items that contain Sildenafil (or Viagra). They include Viagra, various subtypes of this drug, and other Sildenafil products not created by Pfizer.
The drug was first introduced into the Australian healthcare system in 1998, when the National Drugs and Poisons Schedule Committee – the body responsible for assessing new medicine – classified it as a prescription drug. Since then, it has been approved for sale and purchase in its current condition.
The decision was made in light of contraindications of the way Viagra interacted with other drugs. Sildenafil can be quite damaging to one’s health if certain pre-existing conditions are in place. Mixed with other drugs, it might be absolutely detrimental to a patient’s well-being. Because of these risks, you shouldn’t try buying it from unregistered sources or take it without a doctor’s advice. It can be dangerous.
In general, however, the drug is safe – hence why it was approved for use for Australian consumers. It provides plenty of health benefits, and both TGA and NGPSC agree that the downsides don’t outnumber the upsides.
Online Shopping
Picking an Online Pharmacy
All big online pharmacies in Australia deliver across Victoria and NSW, in addition to other places. Melbourne and Sydney in particular are thriving markets for online pharmacies, which means that people from these cities can benefit from fast delivery services. What’s more, there are plenty of them, allowing you to pick a fast and discreet service of choice.
There are several particularly good choices, such as Pharmacy Online, Chemist Warehouse, Chemist Direct, and Amcal. They are decent overall, although there are plenty of other options. Regardless, the final choice is yours, as these businesses vary in terms of quality of service, product options, etc.
There is a page www.canstarblue.com.au/stores-services/pharmacies/ on Canstar Blue (a popular comparison platform based in AU) dedicated to the ranking of these websites, although it’s still valuable to conduct your own research when it comes to shopping for medicine. You can start by viewing Trustpilot reviews.
Getting a Script
Prescriptions in Sydney can be received online, via phone consultation, or in person. The first two options are particularly comfortable, which explains why there are so many services that offer such consultations. In practice, you don’t even have to explain much during these consultations if Viagra is what you need.
It usually takes only a brief spell to get a Viagra script. They typically ask if you have any incompatible conditions, what drugs you take, as well as generally give you a list of contraindications. If there is something particularly contradictory, they likely won’t give you a script out of ethical concerns, but customers have a lot of leeway in such interactions.
Getting a script online is just as legal and binding as in person. For instance, to access any service in InstantScripts, you need to submit your Individual Health Identifier (IHI). This means that getting these prescriptions will be put on your record, and the prescription is just as valid as going to a doctor in person.
One of the major advantages of this approach is that virtual services in Australia are very discreet and comfortable for patients. You don’t have to talk face-to-face to doctors, fearing judgement (as many do). What’s more, buying ED drugs from online pharmacies is extra neat, because more often than not, you don’t even have to disclose your name.
Shopping Process
After you’ve gotten your script and selected an online pharmacy of your choice, you can simply search for the type of Viagra you need. There are typically many varieties, and they can differ in volume, pill number, even flavor. Volume and quantity are specified in the prescription, but the rest is up to you.
Depending on what pharmacy you picked, there may be types of Viagra that come in different forms, such as flavored pills, and other customizable options. Once you have made your pick, the pharmacy have to verify your prescription.
When working with an online pharmacy, you typically give them the script number, the doctor’s/hospital’s name and contact, as well as your IHI. Often they let you fill out this information alongside your delivery address and payment details, so that the order is given a green light right after they verify your prescription. You won’t be able to reuse that script, as it is rendered void after it is filled.
In Person Shopping
Getting a Prescription
If you want to do it the old fashioned way, you may go and visit a doctor for your prescription. It may take longer, because you’ll have to go someplace for it, but also because hospital personnel may scrutinize the issue to a larger degree compared to online consultations. But it’s largely a matter of preference.
An absolute advantage of this approach is that such visits are free. Unlike online services, which will likely charge you, you have a right to a free in-person consultation, provided you have all the necessary documentation. So, if there is a hospital nearby, it might be better to go there.
A major concern for most Australian ED victims is that they’ll be target of stigma, judgement, or bias if people – even doctors and pharmacists – know about their condition. It’s important to remember that it’s completely untrue. Most don’t care, but you can still make sure and consult an online professional instead.
Shopping In-Person
There are 194 licensed pharmacies in Victoria (most of them in Melbourne) and 112 in NSW (most in Sydney). To locate a pharmacy near you, you can go to the Healthdirect medical service finder or visit https://www.findapharmacy.com.au/. They have precise Google Maps locations of all active pharmacies, and you can choose both Melbourne and Sydney, or any other city/town.
Health direct actually offers phone numbers of most pharmacies, which means you can phone them directly and ask if they have Viagra of the exact sort you need. You never know if there is a shortage, so it is good to find out in advance. Nation-wide Sildenafil shortages have never happened, but you never know with an individual pharmacy.
Just bring your script and a sufficient amount of money, and you’ll be fine. It’s just regular old shopping, but if you fear having to buy Viagra in a store full of other people (which is a valid concern for many), you can phone the pharmacist and ask them to prepare a pickup for you.
Then, you’ll just have to drop by, say your name, provide a prescription, pay, and get your Viagra without voicing what you need in front of other people. They’ll likely oblige if you ask nicely. If it’s a long-term prescription, you can have it sent to a pharmacy beforehand for easier pickups.
An Online Prices in Australia
Prices of Viagra by Pfizer vary depending on the dosage of tablets and pack size. For instance, a pack of twenty 50mg pills will cost you around $120 AUD, which is $6 per tablet. However, if you buy ninety-six tablets of the same dosage, you pay just $4.50 AUD per pill.
A package of four 100mg tablets costs up to $44 AUD, meaning that an approximate price of a pill is $11. Nevertheless, a ninety-six pack of the same pills costs just $540. As you can see, it is to your advantage to buy a lot of tablets at once.
As for generic Sildenafil, its prices seem ridiculous in comparison with Viagra. You can buy thirty 50mg pills for $68 AUD, or $2.25 per tablet. If you really want to stock up on Sildenafil, you can consider purchasing three hundred and sixty 50mg or 100mg pills for $320 and $480 AUD, respectively.
Viagra alternatives are also common in Australia, and you can find a nice selection of Levitra and Cialis in most online pharmacies. Unfortunately, Kamagra – a popular cheaper Sildenafil drug – doesn’t seem to be widely available in this country. Viagra Generic, however, is plentiful.