As a university student, sexual complaints are incredibly common among my female friends. Recently, a close friend complained to me that after a few years into a stable, committed relationship, “Netflix and Chill” now literally means “Netflix and Chill”. Sounds awful, right? However, this dissatisfaction is not uncommon at all. According to Forbes Magazine, 40%~50% of women in the United States of all ages are dissatisfied with their current sexual situation. When I heard that the pharmaceutical market was to release a drug informally known as 'female Viagra', my 'intellectual curiosity' was piqued. As the first drug approved by the United States Food and Drug Association for "hypoactive sexual disorder" - which is defined as “characterized by low sexual desire that causes marked distress or interpersonal difficulty and is not due to a co-existing medical or psychiatric condition, problems within the relationship, or the effects of a medication or other drug substance”. Sprout Pharmaceuticals failed to get FDA approval for Addyi twice before, due to questions about its effectiveness and its major side effects. If this doesn’t ring alarm bells, perhaps this will: it can cause fainting and a major drop in blood pressure. Also, you cannot drink alcohol while taking Addyi, and it’s designed to be taken daily on a regular basis, not just when you want to have sex. Due to the fact that Addyi is a daily prescription, women would have to abstain from alcohol, which is occasionally argued to be a libido enhancer for many women. What's more, the FDA requires both doctors and pharmacists to undergo a special certification process before being allowed to prescribe or dispense the drug. In addition to these prerequisites, Addyi is significantly different from Viagra in many other ways. For instance, Viagra has a nearly 100% success rate for men while Addyi is effective for approximately 10% of women suffering from low libido issues. The effectivity (or lack thereof) of the prescription drug was another reason Addyi did not pass FDA regulations in the first place. It also takes up to four weeks for it to become effective. How many women would be willing to take a drug every single day and be sober indefinitely to improve their libido? In relation to my college life, I have significant doubts about my ability to withhold alcohol for four days, let alone four weeks. Even if I were willing to sober up and wanted to take Addyi, it would be a difficult process. Addyi is not yet available in China- it may never become available, considering China's regulations surrounding drug manufacturing is also a long and tedious process. If I were to desire the drug that badly, I would have to “skype chat” my family doctor in Canada - considering it does not fall under over-the-counter medication - which alone may prove too complicated. Then, in the hypothetical situation that my doctor approved the prescription, I would need my parents to send it to me. So that means I would have to talk to my conservative Asian parents about my sexual health. Unfortunately, although my dad desperately tries to be a “cool dad”, I think that would be an incredibly awkward conversation. So thank you but no thank you, I think I’ll pass. So why bother selling a drug that is doomed to fail? Politics. In fact, several prominent feminists leaders were paid to lobby for Addyi. The feminist-lobbyists included Susan Scalan and Audrey Sheppard. Susan Scalan is Chair of the National Council of Women’s Organizations (NWCO). Audrey Sheppard is President of the Women’s Health Consulting. While there was significant support to pass Addyi, there were also women’s groups that refused to join the campaign. They argued that claiming gender bias to pass this drug would undermine the real dangers behind Addyi. Many believed that the pill’s risks outweigh its benefits.While there are definitely women who suffer from serious medical conditions associated with sexual dissatisfaction, I do not think most women should rush to get a prescription for Addyi. For couples in a long-term relationship, I believe that effort and intention is really important. If both make a conscious effort to prioritize sex in their lives, they may succeed in improving their sex life without drug reliance. This article was written by Joanne Chun. Send an email to [email protected] to get in touch. Photo Credit: Fred Bchx