Female ‘Viagra’ evens the score

After two previous rejections from the US Food and Drug Administration, filibanserin – the drug which is touted as the female answer to “Viagra” – was finally given approval early this week. To be sold under the brand name Addyi, makers of filibanserin are anticipating billions in potential global sales when the “pink pill” finally becomes available this October, although initially in pharmacies in the US.

Supporters of the drug – primarily women’s rights groups – are rejoicing because it was quite an uphill battle to get the pill approved. Filibanserin was originally developed by giant drug manufacturer Boehringer Ingelheim, but after the FDA thumbed down its application in June 2010, Boehringer subsequently announced that it was discontinuing development. Rights to the drug was eventually acquired by a much smaller pharmaceutical company named Sprout which subsequently launched an aggressive campaign dubbed as “Even the Score.”

Women’s rights advocates supported the campaign, accusing the FDA of “gender bias” for supposedly fast-tracking the approval of Viagra – the popular blue pill for treating male sexual dysfunction problems – while foot-dragging on the approval of filibanserin. Arguing that “sex is a basic human right,” protesters slammed the FDA for depriving them of a drug that has the potential to address female sexual dysfunction problems, in particular HSDD (hypoactive sexual desire disorder or simply put, low libido).

FDA of course denied accusations of “gender inequality,” citing the risks and side effects associated with the drug that include dizziness, nausea, headaches, low blood pressure and loss of consciousness. After a fresh round of deliberations early in June, an FDA advisory panel voted to approve filibanserin – driving the stock prices of another company that was also developing its own version of the female Viagra pill called bremelatonide to surge. According to estimates, the combined global sales for the two female Viagra versions could amount to as much as $2 billion. 

The FPJ effect

Action king Fernando Poe Jr. or FPJ would have been 76 today. Many believe “Da King” died of a broken heart when he suffered a stroke and slipped into a coma six months after the May 2004 elections amid allegations that he was cheated out of the presidency. But although he has been gone for over a decade, FPJ – who was on the cover of our PeopleAsia

December 2003-January 2004 special issue – is very much alive in the consciousness of Filipinos, particularly the masa, who saw in the late action king a hero who upheld the rights of the downtrodden.

Of course, a clear proof that the “FPJ effect” is as strong as ever can be seen in his daughter, Senator Grace Poe, who topped the 2013 senatorial elections and is currently the frontrunner in the most recent presidential surveys. People who are tired and weary of old “trapos” (traditional politicians) are pinning their hopes on Grace who has managed to capture the hearts and imagination of many Filipinos who look upon her as their new “hero” who understands their plight.

While the lady senator has yet to officially announce her decision to run as president for the May 2016 elections, perceptions are strong that she is “getting there” judging from the release of her “Happy birthday, Papa” infomercial where she reminisced about the values she learned from her father, recalling how his heart was for the poor. “May puso siya para sa lahat, lalo na sa mahirap at naaapi. Walang halaga ang talino at karanasan kung wala kang puso at katapatan (His heart was for everyone especially the poor and the oppressed. Intelligence and experience are useless if one does not have heart and honesty),” Grace said in the infomercial that continues to be shared and reposted in social networking sites. 

Sheltering Filipinos

My idol Ramon “RJ” Jacinto’s passion continues not just for music and singing which he loves to do, but in running the steel business that his late father, Don Fernando Jacinto, started. RJ worked with his father who built the Integrated Iligan Steel Mills, which became known as National Steel in the mid 1960s. Since taking over his siblings’ interest in the steel group of the Jacinto family four years ago, the music man has continued to innovate on roofing products in pretty much the same way that he started innovations in the local music industry.

Showing his business savvy, RJ utilized the talent of designers and engineers to develop a patented pre-fabricated panelized roofing system that could save consumers as much as 40 percent in costs compared to other roofing systems manufacturers. Anticipating the impact of climate change, Jacinto Color Steel set about designing storm-resilient, easily deployable homes named “Bahay Tibay” – which are basically 24-square meter, steel-framed structures with outer hardiflex walls that sell for P125,000.

I’m told that Bahay Tibay can be built in one day with the panelized roofing just dropped in without need for trusses, with a neat and spacious ceiling. A few weeks ago, Habitat for Humanity ordered 4,000 units of Bahay Tibay steel houses for the benefit of Typhoon Yolanda victims who lost their homes in the aftermath of the natural disaster. (Joining RJ at the contract signing are his son RJ II who serves as the chairman and CEO of Jacinto Color Steel, Habitat for Humanity CEO Charlito Ayco and chief marketing officer Yvonne Lih).

Not surprisingly, Bahay Tibay is generating more demand because of its reasonable cost, its durability against storms and the fact that it can be easily deployed – which means sheltering more Filipinos is now going to be very much possible.

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