It all sounds good enough until you realise this is a sex lab investigating erectile dysfunction. It’ll take a real man to walk through those doors … but the good news is that anyone big enough to rise to the challenge will receive treatment for free.
Researchers are currently looking for as many as 50 men, aged between 18 and 50 years old. It’s a project that began in Porto, but due to a lack of willing volunteers has now been extended to include ‘lab rats’ from Lisbon.
“Volunteers will be divided into two groups,” explained psychologist and university professor Pedro Nobre. “One will be treated with medication for lack of erection and the other will have psychotherapy.”
Nobre’s belief is that the volunteers receiving psychotherapy will be those who benefit most in the long-term.
“Psychotherapy may take longer to work, but we’re expecting better results overall. Medication is quicker,” he explained. “But it tends to lead to a higher level of relapse in the medium term.”
The three-month study, coordinated by the University of Porto, will see volunteers treated at the Psychology faculty at Lisbon University. Anyone interested should be in the correct age range, not suffering from any medical problems (particularly not diabetic, a depressive or with a heart condition), and should have been in a heterosexual relationship for at least six months, added Nobre (For more information: [email protected] | www.fpce.up.pt/sexlab)
It is estimated that as many as 500,000 Portuguese men suffer from erectile dysfunction. Worldwide, statistics show the problem affects one in 10.
Good news for Viagra patients
Meantime, the end of last week saw the long-awaited arrival in Portuguese pharmacies of generic versions of Viagra – the little blue pill that has been the saviour of many with erectile dysfunction.
From last Thursday, Viagra generics became available at around half the price of the branded leader.
Chemists told Correio da Manhã that the generics spelt a win-win situation for many: they are not just cheaper but their different names mean purchasers are less likely to be ‘embarrassed’ when they ask for them in their local pharmacy.
