You are here: Home Newsroom News Boots becomes the first pharmacy to offer erectile dysfunction treatment Cialis Together without a prescription

Boots becomes the first pharmacy to offer erectile dysfunction treatment Cialis Together without a prescription

06 June 2023
News Healthcare
  • Earlier this year, Cialis Together was reclassified from a prescription-only medicine to a pharmacy medicine, making it more accessibl.
  • Cialis Together is effective for up to 36 hours when sexually aroused, making it longer lasting than other erectile dysfunction medicines available over-the-counter, to offer greater flexibility, longevity and spontaneit.
  • Boots Pharmacist Vuyani Chinyowa encourages people experiencing erectile dysfunction (ED) to visit their local pharmacy for advice and support.

Available on boots.com from today (6th June 2023), Cialis Together will be rolled out to over 1,300 Boots stores from 13th June. It will be available over-the-counter as a pharmacy medicine, enabling men aged 18 or over who are having erection difficulties to obtain treatment more conveniently. It continues to be available to patients on the NHS who obtain a prescription from their prescriber. 

Cialis Together contains 10mg of the active ingredient tadalafil, which temporarily increases blood flow to the penis to help men get or keep an erection when they are sexually aroused. The treatment starts working from 30 minutes after taking it.  

Tadalafil is effective for up to 36 hours when sexually aroused, which is much longer than erectile dysfunction treatments containing the active ingredient sildenafil, which is effective for up to four hours when sexually aroused

Research shows that ED affects up to one in five men in the UK, which is roughly 4.3 million people.** Boots Pharmacist Vuyani Chinyowa encourages patients to visit their local pharmacy as their first port of call if they are worried.  

Vuyani said: Most men have difficulties getting or keeping an erection at some point in their lives and is nothing to be embarrassed about. If you have any concerns, you can visit your local pharmacy for a private chat for advice and to find what over-the-counter treatments might help you.  

“Other steps you can take to help with erection difficulties include making sure you are at a healthy weight by eating a healthy balanced diet and doing regular exercise, manage daily stress levels, reducing alcohol intake, getting enough sleep and stopping smoking.   

Kristie Sourial, Global Switch Science Medical Lead (excluding US) at Sanofi, which is the  holder for Cialis Together, said:When a person experiences erectile dysfunction it can have a negative impact on their sex life and lead them to be hesitant and anxious to engage in sexual intercourse with their partner. The addition of a new, self-care option that is accessible in UK pharmacies is beneficial in helping men with erectile dysfunction to manage their condition.” 

Vuyani continued: “If you continue to have problems getting an erection on a regular basis, you should speak again to your local pharmacist or GP as soon as possible. Erection difficulties can be a symptom of an underlying medical condition so it’s really important to get this checked out.”** 

Cialis Together was reclassified from a prescription-only medicine to a pharmacy medicine by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) earlier this year. Before purchasing the treatment at Boots, patients are required to have a consultation with a pharmacist, who will ask them a few questions to ensure it is suitable for them. If they are purchasing Cialis Together via boots.com, access to treatment is subject to an online consultation. 

Cialis Together costs £21.99 for a pack of four tablets and £37 for a pack of eight. Boots is offering 10% off until12thSeptember.*** Other treatments for erectile dysfunction available at Boots include Boots Sildenafil 50mg Film-Coated Tablets****and Eroxon Erectile Dysfunction Treatment GelAccess to prescription-only treatments is also available through the Boots Online Doctor Erectile Dysfunction Service.***** 

As the UK’s leading health and beauty retailer, Boots offers the biggest range of health and wellness products and an expanding range of healthcare services. Customers can now explore information and advice alongside relevant products and services for a wide range of conditions at the Boots Health Hub.  

*CialisTogether is suitable for men aged 18 years and older who have difficulty getting and/or keeping an erection hard enough for sex. Please read the enclosed leaflet carefully before use. As a pharmacy medicine, patients need to have a consultation with a pharmacist in person when buying in store. When purchasing via boots.com, patients need to complete a suitability assessment.  

**Specific products cannot be endorsed by the pharmacist. 

***Subject to stock availability. Terms and conditions apply.   

****Boots Sildenafil 50mg Film-Coated Tablets is suitable for men aged 18 years and older who have difficulty getting and/or keeping an erection hard enough for sex. Please read the enclosed leaflet carefully before use. As a pharmacy medicine, patients need to have a consultation with a pharmacist in person when buying in store. When purchasing via boots.com, patients need to complete a suitability assessment.  

*****Subject to an online consultation with a clinician consultation to suitability. Subject to availability. Charges apply. 

News

What’s new at Boots? Find out the latest updates from the UK’s largest pharmacy-led health and beauty chain – from new products and services to important business developments.

xx

Features

Take a closer look at our team members and the work they do, learn more about our corporate social responsibility initiatives and see how we work behind the scenes.

xx

Boots is the UK’s leading health and beauty retailer with over 52,000 team members and around 1,900 stores, ranging from local community pharmacies to large destination health and beauty stores.*

Boots serves its customers and patients for life as the leading provider of healthcare on the high street and the UK’s number one beauty destination. It offers an unrivalled depth and breadth of products, which incorporates its extensive own brand range and innovative portfolio of brands, including No7, the UK’s No1 skincare brand, Soap & Glory, Liz Earle Beauty and Sleek MakeUP.

2024 marks Boots’ 175th anniversary year. Founder John Boot opened a herbalist store in Nottingham in 1849 to offer an affordable alternative to traditional medicines. His son Jesse expanded the business to become a modern retailer and the biggest chemist in Britain. Throughout its history, Boots has listened, learned and innovated, and it continues to challenge itself to improve its products and services every day.

Boots is part of Walgreens Boots Alliance, which is a global leader in pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing retail.  More company information is available on boots-uk.com.

*Figures accurate as of 31 May 2024