The Viagra war between Pfizer and the local United Laboratories spilled over to the mass media and marketing trenches

Pfizer was unsuccessful in blocking Unilab from coming out with a Philippine version of the erectile dysfunction medicine, Viagra, sildenafil.

According to the grapevine, barring any judicial action from Pfizer such as Cialis made by Eli Lilly, Levitra produced by Bayer Health Care, and Intrinsa, a testosterone patch developed by Procter & Gamble to treat Female Sexual Dysfunction), Unilab will launch next week its own viagra version named "Andros".

Like Viagra, Andros is blue in color but unlike genuine Viagra, Andros is a typical oblong, not a diamond-shaped, pill.

Andros like Viagra will be available in 25, 50 and 100 mg doses.

But unlike Viagra, Andros will be retailed 60 percent cheaper.

Compared to Cialis and Levitra, Andros will be priced at 50 percent less.

Unilab has already quietly released pre-launch samples of its blue wonder with the help of specially trained medical representatives. The packaging and pharmacological pamphlet inside Andros' box, even the scientific discussion, are world-class. Unless one examines the fine printed address, Andros could easily be mistaken for an American or European import of Viagra.

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