€4.5m erectile dysfunction drugs on medical cards

The HSE has spent more than €4.5m supplying medical-card holders with drugs for the treatment of erectile dysfunction last year.

A total of 45,409 people with medical cards received erectile dysfunction drugs such as Viagra, Cialis and Levitra under the free healthcare scheme during 2016 at a cost of €4,504,577.

The HSE spent a further €1,262,272 providing the drugs to 10,897 patients who qualified under the Drugs Payment Scheme and the Long-Term Illness scheme.