Summary: Viagra, a drug with infinite name recognition and touted benefits is, as we know, pervasively advertised on television and the Internet. But what is the truth and what is the fiction about this drug.
This is a solid informational piece with an upbeat and jovial guest making for a good addition to "All Things Considered" type of programming. Uses humorous anecdotes about the discovery, history, and [mis]use of Viagra to draw the listener into accepting Viagra as legitimate. This segment's light tone is well suited to contribute to lessening the social stigma of Viagra.
Viagra and other medications that address erectile disfunction are so omnipresent on TV and the internet, and absent on public radio as far as I am aware, that this piece's time may have come. According to the subject of this interview, erectile dysfuction affects 52% of men over 40 to some extent. This suprising statistic makes the barrage of advertisments and emails that we are exposed to daily a little easier to accept. The piece comprises a very indepth interview that covers all apsects of the viagra phenomenom, from diagnosis and prescription, to overuse and abuse, and puts it in the context of heterosexual relations. It clearly deals with the subject matter from a male perspective and oversimplifies the female side of things a little, but nevertheless it is an important issue and this is an informative interview. As for airing, the subject matter is inevitably going to raise a few eyebrows, but it is dealt with in a mature fashion and is not overly graphic, so I wouldn't have any qualms about airing it at any time. I appreciated that the interviewee did not continually plug his book; I find it grating when every answer to a question is prefaced with "well in my book you will find....."!
Comments for Viagra: Medical and social effects of Viagra.
Produced by Barry Vogel and Radio Curious
Other pieces by Barry Vogel
Rating Summary
3 comments
Embarkadero Embarkadero
Posted on June 24, 2004 at 06:04 PM | Permalink
Review of Viagra:
This is a solid informational piece with an upbeat and jovial guest making for a good addition to "All Things Considered" type of programming. Uses humorous anecdotes about the discovery, history, and [mis]use of Viagra to draw the listener into accepting Viagra as legitimate. This segment's light tone is well suited to contribute to lessening the social stigma of Viagra.
Helen Woodward
Posted on March 26, 2004 at 11:31 AM | Permalink
Review of Viagra:
Viagra and other medications that address erectile disfunction are so omnipresent on TV and the internet, and absent on public radio as far as I am aware, that this piece's time may have come. According to the subject of this interview, erectile dysfuction affects 52% of men over 40 to some extent. This suprising statistic makes the barrage of advertisments and emails that we are exposed to daily a little easier to accept. The piece comprises a very indepth interview that covers all apsects of the viagra phenomenom, from diagnosis and prescription, to overuse and abuse, and puts it in the context of heterosexual relations. It clearly deals with the subject matter from a male perspective and oversimplifies the female side of things a little, but nevertheless it is an important issue and this is an informative interview. As for airing, the subject matter is inevitably going to raise a few eyebrows, but it is dealt with in a mature fashion and is not overly graphic, so I wouldn't have any qualms about airing it at any time. I appreciated that the interviewee did not continually plug his book; I find it grating when every answer to a question is prefaced with "well in my book you will find....."!
Lucia Covelli
Posted on November 24, 2009 at 01:15 PM | Permalink
Does Dr. Morgantaler work for Big Pharma?
Dr. Morgantaler's comparison of Viagra to the birth control pill is absurd. Can't help but wonder if he receives kickbacks from the makers of Viagra.