In most European country, 23% of men suffer of erectile dysfunction and only few use a specific therapy.

To verify these facts, we have used the data obtained from the french call center (Association pour le Développement de l’Information et de la Recherche sur la Sexualité) between 2005 and 2006

Men represented 72% of the callers. Caller asked about ED in 76% of the calls but only 27% were treated for sexual dysfunction.

So the high percentage of untreated men led us to perform a short survey in order to determine what were the main characteristics of the population of non treated men.

The survey was directed by IPSOS SANTE (P. KLEIN) and sponsored by LILLY

45 men and women have been face to face interviewed; we notice that among patients with erectile dysfunction some do not recognize themselves as having real problems. Moreover a sort of fatalism still exists in this domain. When we consider attitudes towards treatment, the fear of side effects is still present and only Viagra® remains spontaneously mentioned with false assertions still present in the minds of many people.

Three types of untreated patients were determined;

Resigned patients (less than 1 out of 10), Ignorant patients (approx 3 out of 10) Fence sitters (approx 6 out of 10)

Resigned patients are few in number and they will be hard, if not impossible to convince.

Those who are ignorant of their condition have to feel concerned.

Fence sitters have to be reassured and we have to facilitate access to treatment