Viagra Connect is branded sildenafil 50mg that a pharmacy can supply without a prescription. Prescription sildenafil contains the same active ingredient and comes in 25mg, 50mg, 100mg. We supply Viagra Connect after a pharmacist consultation, and sildenafil after a consultation reviewed by a GPhC-registered pharmacist.
This guide explains what is the same and what differs. It does not rank them.
What is the difference between Viagra Connect and prescription sildenafil?
The active ingredient is the same; the strengths, who can have each and how it is supplied differ. Viagra Connect comes in one strength and is a pharmacy medicine. Prescription sildenafil comes in three strengths and is a prescription-only medicine.
| Viagra Connect | Prescription sildenafil | |
|---|---|---|
| Active ingredient | Sildenafil | Sildenafil |
| Strengths | 50mg only | 25mg, 50mg, 100mg |
| Type of medicine | Pharmacy medicine | Prescription-only medicine |
| How we supply it | After a pharmacist consultation (a pharmacy checklist) | After a consultation reviewed by a GPhC-registered pharmacist |
| Who we supply it to | Men aged 18 to 64 with erection problems | Men aged 18 and over, if the pharmacist approves |
| How much per order | Up to 3 boxes | Maximum 8 tablets per 2 weeks |
Is Viagra Connect the same medicine as sildenafil?
Yes, it contains sildenafil 50mg, the same active ingredient as prescription Viagra. Generic sildenafil tablets contain the same active ingredient as the brand, at the same strength, and are licensed in the UK. The pack shows the medicine's name and the name of the company that makes it, instead of the brand name.
The MHRA made Viagra Connect a pharmacy medicine in November 2017, so a pharmacy can supply it after a pharmacist consultation, without a prescription.
Which strengths can I have?
Viagra Connect is 50mg only. Prescription sildenafil comes as 25mg, 50mg, 100mg, and the usual starting dose is 50mg.
The product information allows the dose to go down to 25mg or up to 100mg for the prescription medicine only. The pharmacist decides your starting dose. A first order is usually for the starting dose, or a lower one if your answers call for it, for example if you take an alpha-blocker or have a liver problem. When you reorder, we ask how your last tablets worked and whether you had any side effects.
Who can have Viagra Connect, and who needs a prescription?
We supply Viagra Connect to men aged 18 to 64 who have erection problems and for whom nothing on the pharmacy checklist applies. Everyone else goes to the prescription consultation or their GP.
- Age. These products are only available for men aged 18 to 64. Please speak to your GP or use our full consultation for prescription alternatives.
- Erection problems. Viagra Connect and Cialis Together are only for men who have erection problems. They will not help if you do not.
- The checklist. It has 23 items, for example:
- Using poppers (amyl nitrite)
- Had a stroke or heart attack in the last 6 months
- Have any liver disease or reduced liver function
- Taking an alpha-blocker for your prostate or blood pressure, such as tamsulosin, alfuzosin, doxazosin, terazosin, prazosin, silodosin or indoramin
Some items on the checklist, such as nitrates or poppers, rule out prescription sildenafil too. Others, such as an alpha-blocker or a liver problem, mean the pharmacist checks whether a lower dose of prescription sildenafil is safe for you.
How is the consultation different?
Both are online and both are checked by a pharmacist; they ask different questions. For Viagra Connect you answer a pharmacy checklist: your age, whether you have erection problems, the checklist items, and any other medicines you take. You answer it again before every repeat order. Our pharmacist reviews every order before it is sent.
For prescription sildenafil you answer a few questions about your health and the medicines you take, and a GPhC-registered pharmacist reviews every consultation and decides the medicine and the dose. If they cannot approve your order, we refund you in full automatically.
Do I take them differently?
Mostly not. Both are one tablet, taken when needed, about an hour before sex, and never more than one a day.
- Viagra Connect: one 50mg tablet, about 1 hour before sex. It normally takes 30 to 60 minutes to work, and you can take it up to 4 hours before sex. Maximum one tablet per day.
- Prescription sildenafil: Take it about 1 hour before sex (anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours before). It takes about an hour to work. Never take more than one tablet in 24 hours.
A heavy or high-fat meal can delay how quickly it works. These tablets only work with sexual stimulation. For more on timing, food and alcohol, see how long sildenafil lasts.
Are the side effects the same?
The side effects listed for each are:
- Viagra Connect: Common side effects include headache, flushing, indigestion, a stuffy nose, dizziness, feeling sick and changes to your vision, such as a colour tinge or blurred vision. These are usually mild to moderate and short-lived.
- Sildenafil: Very common / common side effects include headache, dizziness, flushing, nasal congestion, dyspepsia (indigestion), nausea and vision disturbances.
Less common side effects are listed in the leaflet in your pack. Please read it before your first dose.
How much do they cost?
Our prices are:
- Viagra Connect 50mg: 2 tablets £11.99, 4 tablets £22.99, 8 tablets £34.99.
- Prescription sildenafil, 8 tablets: 25mg £6.49, 50mg £8.99, 100mg £12.99.
Delivery £2.99 per order. The consultation is free.
Can I switch from Viagra Connect to prescription sildenafil?
Yes, through the prescription consultation, if the pharmacist agrees it suits you. Tell us you have used Viagra Connect and how it went. Do not take Viagra Connect and prescription sildenafil together. Do not use unlicensed herbal remedies for erections, and do not stop any prescribed medicine unless your doctor tells you to.
If sildenafil does not suit you, the pharmacist can also look at other tablets: see sildenafil vs tadalafil, or all our erectile dysfunction treatments.