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The UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency have successfully carried out a raid in Bristol, resulting in the seizure of a large load of counterfeit medications.

Police from the Safer Stronger Neighbourhood team supported their collegues at the MHRA and carried out the raids at three properties, in the Newtown, Redfield and Hotwells areas of the city.

In total, the team seized counterfeit medications worth £180,000. They included the erectile dysfunction medications Viagra, Levitra and Cialis, as well as the anti-anxiety medication Diezepam. The officers also discovered a large amount of cannabis plants at one of the properties, thought to have a street value of £40,000.

Further investigation also resulted in the seizure of 1000 tablets which officials believe to be counterfeit.

So far, a 23-year old man has been arrested on suspicious of cultivating cannabis. A 28-year old man has also been arrested on suspicious of supplying counterfeit medication.

A spokesperson for the Safer Neighbourhood team, police sergeant Jon Ames, said that the branch was committed to stamping out the trade in counterfeit medication and asked for the public to contact them if they had any further information about illegal activity.

The head of enforcement for the MHRA Mike Deats warned that people who purchased medication from any other sources other than a registered pharmacy were putting their health at risk, possibly taking doses that were too high or low or even imbibing dangerous substances.

He added that those dealing in counterfeit drugs didn’t care about consumer’s health and were only interested in making money.

The three pharmaceutical firms who manufacture the best-selling erectile dysfunction drugs Viagra, Cialis and Levitra have received a heavy fine after they were convicted of price fixing their drugs in Switzerland.

The Swiss Competition Commission have ruled that the three firms, Pfzier, Eli Lilley and Bayer AG must pay a total f 5.7million francs (or $5.7 million) for breaching Swiss competition law. It has not been revealed how much each company must individually pay.

All the companies refuted the allegation. A spokeperson from Eli Lilley, manufacturers of Cialis, said that the company believed that the public price recommendation for the drug was in line with Swiss competition law, while Bayer released a statement said that they were exploring how they could challenge the fine. Pfizer’s spokeperson said that the firm did not believe the decision would survive a court examination.

The case first came to the public’s attention when the three companies claimed that the cost of the three drugs had risen drastically, leading the SCC to suspect that the suggested prices were far too high.

The Swiss have been watching the case with great interest and the findings of the SCC are likely to cause huge embarrassment to the pharmaceutical firms. With their reputations under threat, they are likely to fight tooth and nail against the fine.

As the pound has weakened against the euro, UK pharmacies have been experiencing increasing difficulties in obtaining supplies of Levitra. Bayer, the manufacturer of Levitra, at the moment prefers to make a sale in Germany or France as they make a greater profit margin than when the medication is sold in the UK, so have advised that stock shortages are likely.

Despite the efforts of our pharmacy they are currently unable to obtain any new supplies of Levitra 20mg in sufficient volumes to meet demand. We are expecting a large delivery to arrive at the start of December but until then do not think we will be able to get sufficient stock, though we will make every effort to do so.

The pharmacy received a small amount of stock today so are hopeful we will be able to honour any current orders for the 20mg. However we recommend that any customers who usually buy this medication consider the 10mg dose instead, or try Viagra or Cialis, until supply issues are resolved.

Bayer Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturers of the erectile dysfunction medication Levitra, have submitted an application to have a new formulation of the drug registered in the European Union.

Bayer are excited about the new formula, which they hope will improve the currently flagging sales of the medicine. They plan to sell the medicine in the form on an orodispersible tablet containing 10mg of vardenafil, the medical name for Levitra. The pill will dissolves on the tongue in seconds. This would give Levitra an edge of the competition, as both Cialis and Viagra need to be taken with water.

They hope that the new type of pill will prove more discreet and convenient, as men will not need to interrupt foreplay to get a glass of water to take their medication with.

A representative from Bayer, Jean-Philippe Milon, said that the new formula marked a ‘strategic milestone’ in the development of ‘innovative and easy-to-use men’s health products’.

The pharmaceutical company have completed two large phase III clinical studies which they say showed the the new formulation is as safe and effective as the current pills on the market.

The drug company Bayer, which is based in Germany, have launched a lawsuit against rival pharmaceutical company Teva for infringing its patent over the erectile dysfunction drug Levitra.

Teva, an Israeli company, manufactures generic versions of popular branded medications whose patents have run out. Bayer’s patent for Levitra is set to run out in 2018, which led Teva to apply to the Federal Food and Drugs Administration for approval to market a generic form of the drug prior to the expiration of the patent. Bayer are seeking to prevent this going though until the patent has actually expired.

A spokesman for Bayer had no comment as to how long they expected court proceedings to take. However some experts have estimated that the suit should take 30 months to be completed. Until that 30 months is over, the FDA automatically can not grant Teva approval. Analysts have said that considering that GlaxoSmithKline, who sell the medication in the US, only make annual sales from Levitra of $60 million, the issue is not likely to be a priority for them.

Globally, sales of the medication generate EUR 341 million for Bayer. However, Levitra is generally seen as the little sister of the better known erectile dysfunction medications Viagra and Cialis.

Patent expiry is becoming an increasing worry for the makers of the three main erectile dysfunction medications, Viagra, Cialis and Levitra. Though all three manufacturers have many other medications that they sell, generic versions are expected to be considerably cheaper and therefore will create far more competition in the erectile dysfunction medication market than currentyly exists. Pfizer’s patent over Viagra runs out in 5 years, while the patent for Cialis will run out two years later.

A new study, which was led by Dr. Martin Miner of Brown University, Massachusetts, has shown that the drug Levitra, which is used to treat erectile dysfunction, is suitable for men with high cholesterol. The results of the study were announced at the 23rd Annual European Association of Urology Congress.

This was the first ever trial conducted which evaluated how Levitra performed in patients who had both high cholesterol levels and erectile dysfunction. The trial, which was carried out with about 400 participants, all of whom had high cholesterol levels, showed that the men who were given Levitra had significant improvements in their ability to gain and maintain an erection when compared with those given a placebo. The trial, which took place over a twelve week period, also showed that the participants who were given Levitra as opposed to the placebo had much better success rates of penetration.

Erectile dysfunction is a common symptom of many complaints that include high cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes. Nearly 70 percent of men who suffer with erectile dysfunction have one or more of these conditions.

Erectile dysfunction can also be a marker for testosterone deficiency. The study also showed that testosterone replacement therapy can, as well as improving overall quality of life, improve cardiovascular and metabolic conditions.

The Therapeutics Goods Administration in Australia has found that two over-the-counter “herbal” sex aids contain sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra.  The discovery was made during a routine inspection and all affected products have now been withdrawn from sale.  The manufacturer of the herbal substitutes could not explain how the sildenafil managed to get into its products.

“I am not going to explain in detail, but it was contaminated so we have pulled it off the shelves and it’s all over now,” said a spokesman for Herbal Health International.

Viagra is a prescription only medication for a reason: if it is taken by someone for whom the medication is not appropriate, it could have serious consequences.  Always consult with a doctor before you take Viagra, whether this is online or face to face.