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Viagra may help to save endangered species |
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| UK: November 20, 2002 | ||
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LONDON - Viagra, the anti-impotence drug that has pepped up the sex lives of humans, may also help to save endangered animal species - but not in the way most people would imagine.
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Conservationists say the popularity of Pfizer's Inc blockbuster drug could reduce demand for animal parts used in traditional Chinese medicines to treat impotence. "As a consequence of Viagra's efficacy and popularity, certain species may soon enjoy a significant improvement in their conservation status," Frank von Hipple, of the University of Alaska in Anchorage, said in a report in the journal Environmental Conservation. Viagra is cheaper than some Chinese sex potions and its effectiveness has been demonstrated, he added. Along with his brother William, of the University of New South Wales in Australia, von Hipple found that demand for antler velvet from Alaskan reindeer and sex organs from Canadian hooded and harp seals had declined since Viagra was launched in 1998. They believe the drug could also have an impact on green turtles, geckos and sea horses which are used in Chinese remedies for erectile dysfunction (ED). "We predict Viagra has the potential to reduce demand for animal products for which the treatment of ED is a primary use and that the potential will be greatest for animal products that are expensive relative to Viagra," von Hipple added.
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REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
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