Dapoxetine
The only medicine approved specifically for premature ejaculation, taken a few hours before sex rather than every day, and approved in Europe but not in the United States.
- Class
- Short-acting SSRI
- Sold as
- Sold as: Priligy
This medicine has no FDA label, because the United States has never approved it. The pages on this site are normally built from an FDA document, so this one is built from the European authorisation instead, and the sources below link to the national product information rather than to DailyMed.
Written by us
How it works
Dapoxetine belongs to the same family as several antidepressants, but it was designed to enter and leave the body quickly, so it can be taken before sex rather than continuously. Delayed ejaculation is a known effect of that drug family, and dapoxetine is the attempt to use that effect deliberately and briefly instead of as a side effect of daily treatment.
Original and generic
Generic dapoxetine exists in Europe where national authorisations allow it. It is also one of the most counterfeited substances sold online, because demand is high, the price of the brand is high and buyers rarely have a way to verify what arrives.
What it costs
Sold per tablet at a price well above generic sildenafil, and rarely reimbursed anywhere, since the condition is not usually treated within public health cover.
How to get it legally
Prescription only in every European country where it is authorised. A pharmacy dispenses it against a prescription, including one from an online consultation. In the United States there is nothing to prescribe under this name, which is why American sites discussing it are usually discussing importing it, and that is a different question with its own legal answer.
Questions
- Why is there no FDA approval?
- Approval was sought and not granted in the United States. That is a decision about that market and not a statement about approvals elsewhere: European regulators assessed the same substance and authorised it.
- Is it the same as taking a daily antidepressant?
- No. It is from the same family but designed for a short stay in the body and approved for on-demand use. Daily antidepressants prescribed for this purpose are an off-label practice with different documentation.
- Why is counterfeiting such a problem for this one?
- Because it is prescription-only, embarrassing to ask about, and expensive, which is exactly the combination unlicensed sellers look for. The guide on spotting a licensed pharmacy applies directly here.
Sources
- Priligy 30 mg and 60 mg film-coated tablets: summary of product characteristicsMedicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, United Kingdom
- Priligy: banca dati farmaciAgenzia Italiana del Farmaco