Viagra Connect over the counter: do you need a prescription?
- Whether you need a prescription for Viagra Connect
- Why it's a pharmacy medicine and not on general sale
- A quick eligibility checklist
- How the consultation works, in a pharmacy and online
- What to do if the pharmacist can't supply it
- Which other ED tablet you can buy without a prescription
Do you need a prescription for Viagra Connect?
No. You don't need a prescription, but you do need to speak to a pharmacist first, either in a pharmacy or through an online pharmacy consultation. If the pharmacist decides it's suitable, you can buy it there and then.
The SmPC sets out how it's used: one 50mg tablet with water about one hour before sex, no more than once a day. Sexual stimulation is still needed for it to work. Packs contain a maximum of 8 tablets, according to the MHRA Public Assessment Report.
Why is Viagra Connect a pharmacy medicine?
The MHRA announced that Viagra Connect would move from prescription-only medicine (POM) to pharmacy medicine (P) in 2017.
Quick explanation
The MHRA sorts medicines into three legal categories.
| Category | Where you can get it | Pharmacist involved? |
|---|---|---|
| Prescription-only medicine (POM) | A pharmacy or dispensing practice, with a valid prescription | Yes |
| Pharmacy medicine (P) | A pharmacy only, usually kept behind the counter | Yes, it's sold in the presence of a pharmacist |
| General sales list (GSL) | Supermarkets, corner shops and pharmacy shelves | No |
Viagra Connect sits in the middle category for a reason. The MHRA's Public Assessment Report concluded that pharmacy supply is appropriate because a pharmacist can assess whether it's suitable for you and make you aware of the risks. The main ones are whether your heart is healthy enough for sex, interactions with other medicines and conditions where sildenafil shouldn't be taken. A GSL sale has no one to ask those questions.
To manage these risks, the report made pharmacy training materials and a pharmacist checklist a condition of the reclassification. The checklist uses yes or no questions on:
- Heart health, including whether you can walk briskly for 20 minutes or climb 2 flights of stairs without getting breathless
- Medicines you take that could interact with sildenafil
- Conditions where Viagra Connect must not be taken
- Signs of depression, anxiety or heavy alcohol use, with advice or referral where it helps
Good to know
The report describes the checklist as an optional tool, so the format can vary between pharmacies. Whether it's used is the pharmacist's decision, but the questions cover the same ground.
Can you buy Viagra Connect? Eligibility checklist
Before you go, it's worth running through the five areas the pharmacist will cover. This checklist is based on the SmPC and the MHRA's assessment report.
| Check | Usually suitable if | Likely to be referred if |
|---|---|---|
| Age | You're a man aged 18 or over | You're under 18 |
| ED symptoms | You have trouble getting or keeping an erection firm enough for sex | You don't have ED, or you have a penile condition such as Peyronie's disease |
| Heart health | You can walk briskly for 20 minutes or climb 2 flights of stairs without getting breathless | You've had a heart attack or stroke in the last 6 months, or have unstable angina, severe heart failure or low blood pressure (below 90/50mmHg) |
| Medicines | You take nothing that interacts with sildenafil | You take nitrates, riociguat, ritonavir, an alpha blocker or other medicines that raise sildenafil levels |
| Previous treatment | You've used sildenafil before without problems, or this is your first time | You've lost sight in one eye from a condition called NAION, or you're using another ED treatment |
The MHRA states that Viagra Connect won't be sold to men who have:
- Severe cardiovascular disorders
- A high cardiovascular risk
- Liver failure
- Severe kidney failure
- Certain interacting medicines
For these men, treatment needs to stay under the supervision of a GP or prescriber.
Important!
Never take Viagra Connect with nitrates or nitric oxide donors, including amyl nitrite ("poppers"). The SmPC lists this as a contraindication because the combination can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure.
How does the consultation work?
The consultation covers the same ground in a pharmacy and online.
In a pharmacy
- Ask at the counter to speak to the pharmacist about Viagra Connect. You can ask to talk somewhere private.
- The pharmacist asks about your symptoms, heart health, medicines and any previous ED treatment.
- They may check your Summary Care Record or Patient Medication Record, which the assessment report's checklist prompts them to do.
- If it's suitable, they explain how to take it, the possible side effects and when to get help.
- If it isn't, they explain why and point you to your GP. The report includes advice cards for men who are and aren't supplied.
Online
An online pharmacy covers the same questions through a consultation form. Under General Pharmaceutical Council guidance, the pharmacy must be able to confirm who you say you are before it sells a P medicine, and there should be a way to contact you if the pharmacist needs more information. You can start an online consultation on our Viagra Connect page.
What records are kept?
In a pharmacy, the MHRA's report notes that pharmacy sales aren't recorded the way prescriptions are, although the pharmacist may look at your existing records. Online, the GPhC expects the pharmacy to record the key reasons for each decision to supply or refuse, along with dispatch and delivery details.
Follow-up advice
The SmPC and the MHRA's report advise:
- See your GP as soon as possible, and within 6 months, so they can review conditions linked to ED
- See your GP sooner if it hasn't worked after several attempts, or if your ED gets worse
- Get urgent medical help for an erection lasting more than 4 hours
- Stop taking it and get medical help straight away if your vision changes suddenly
Headache is the most common side effect. Dizziness, flushing, a blocked nose, nausea, indigestion and changes to vision, such as blurring or a blue tinge, are also common, according to the SmPC.
What if the pharmacist says no?
A no isn't a judgement. It means the pharmacist thinks you need a fuller assessment before taking sildenafil. You still have options.
- Your GP: they can look at what's behind your ED and prescribe treatment if it's suitable.
- A private UK-registered prescriber: in person or online, they can review your medical history and prescribe if appropriate.
- Prescription sildenafil at other strengths: the SmPC notes that on prescription the dose can be lowered to 25mg or raised to 100mg. A 25mg dose may suit men with severe kidney or liver problems, or those taking alpha blockers or certain interacting medicines.
Good to know
Take a list of your current medicines to the appointment.
For more on the different routes to sildenafil, see our guides to sildenafil over the counter and Viagra over the counter.
Is any other ED tablet available over the counter?
Yes, one. In 2023 the MHRA reclassified Cialis Together (tadalafil 10mg) as a pharmacy medicine. It follows the same model as Viagra Connect: a pharmacist consultation, no more than one tablet a day, packs of up to 8 tablets and the same groups of men referred elsewhere.
| Viagra Connect | Cialis Together | |
|---|---|---|
| Active ingredient | Sildenafil 50mg | Tadalafil 10mg |
| Classified as P | November 2017 | March 2023 |
| Maximum | One tablet a day | One tablet a day |
| Pack size | Up to 8 tablets | Up to 8 tablets |
All other ED tablets in the same group, known as PDE5 inhibitors, are prescription-only. The NHS lists vardenafil and avanafil as needing a prescription, and tadalafil at other strengths does too.
Final thoughts
Viagra Connect is available over the counter without a prescription, but only after a pharmacist consultation, and only for men aged 18 and over with ED. The consultation is there to rule out heart problems, interacting medicines and conditions that need a fuller assessment. If the pharmacist says no, your GP or a UK-registered prescriber can look at other strengths or treatments. Either way, it's worth seeing your GP within 6 months, as ED can be linked to other health conditions worth checking.
FAQ
Can I buy Viagra Connect over the counter?
Yes. You can buy it from a pharmacy or an online pharmacy after a consultation with a pharmacist, as long as you're a man aged 18 or over with ED and it's suitable for you.
Do you need a prescription for Viagra Connect?
No. It's a pharmacy (P) medicine, so a pharmacist can supply it without a prescription.
Is Viagra Connect the same as Viagra?
Both contain sildenafil. Viagra Connect comes only as a 50mg tablet without a prescription, while prescription sildenafil is also available at 25mg and 100mg, according to the SmPC.
How many tablets can I buy at once?
Packs contain a maximum of 8 tablets, according to the MHRA's assessment report. You shouldn't take more than one tablet a day.
Can I drink alcohol with Viagra Connect?
The SmPC advises avoiding large amounts of alcohol before sex.
Can I buy Viagra Connect if I already have a prescription for sildenafil?
You may be able to, if you meet the same pharmacy criteria, according to the MHRA's assessment report.
The DoktorABC medical advisory board
Dr. Roland Ruiken
Medical advisor, Norway
Dr. Viktor Simunovic
Medical advisor, Croatia