Overview

• NHS data show 4.71 million sildenafil prescriptions were dispensed in England last year at a total cost of £16.9 million.
• While men in their 60s were the most common recipients, prescriptions for over-80s reached a record 250,000.
• Officials have verified that a 102-year-old man is now the oldest individual to receive Viagra through the NHS.
• Sildenafil was originally developed in the 1990s for pulmonary hypertension, won approval for erectile dysfunction in 1998, and carries NHS warnings for those with recent heart attacks or strokes.
• Experts link the uptick in elderly use to dating platforms aimed at older adults and a shift toward embracing sexual activity in later life.