Premature ejaculation drug breakthrough

A NEW drug to treat premature ejaculation has been declared safe and effective even for men worst affected by the condition.

The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) dapoxetine has been shown to lengthen the duration of intercourse by three to four times.

Now an editorial piece published in The Lancet suggests it is effective even for those who suffer the worst symptoms.

Premature ejaculation is the most common form of male sexual dysfunction, affecting 21%-33% of men. Other SSRIs, anti-depressants, are often used to treat the condition in those who seek medical help because one side-effect is delayed ejaculation.

However, there have been concerns about other side-effects, such as psychiatric problems, skin reactions, changes in bodyweight, and loss of libido.

In an examination of a study, led by Jon Pryor from the University of Minnesota, results from two trials involving dapoxetine were combined.

More than 2,600 men with moderate to severe ejaculation problems were included and either received a placebo, 30mg of dapoxetine or 60mg of dapoxetine.

On average, at the start of the study, the men ejaculated less than a minute after penetration.

After 12 weeks, that time extended to an average of 1.75 minutes for those on the placebo, 2.78 minutes for those on 30mg dapoxetine, and 3.32 minutes for those on 60mg dapoxetine.

Common side-effects of the drug were nausea, diarrhoea, headache and dizziness.

The drug is made by ALZA Corporation, whose parent company is Johnson & Johnson.