CNS Pipeline Update;Was Dr. Angell Right After All?

Sub-subtitle: A study of the intersection between pharmaceutical science, marketing, and reimbursement

Dapoxetine  is under review by the US FDA for treatment of premature ejaculation, having completed phase III trials.  The company announced that makes it plans to market 30mg and 60mg doses.  Dapoxetine is a serotonin reuptake inhibitor.  Presumably, it acts by stimulating the 5HT-2 receptors, thereby diminishing the strength of perception of sexual stimulation.  This effect occurs in some, but not all people; the reasons for the variation in response are not at all clear.  In this post, I review what little information is publicly available about dapoxetine and revisit the controversy over me-too drugs, then engage in speculation about possible repercussions in the insurance industry.  Continue reading here.