"But, maybe even worse than unsafe pills that don't work very well is the high-profile marketing work that the pharmaceutical industry is doing to convince women that low sexual urge is a disease.
"Making normal sexuality into a medical problem is an easy PR task with enduring serious consequences for the health of NZ women."
However, Dr Helen Conaglen, a senior research fellow and senior lecturer at The University of Auckland's Waikato Clinical School said the problem of low sexual desire in women was a "multi-faceted issue, with no single solution".
"The drug is just one tool and will not suit everyone. Nor will it have the same impact for women as Viagra did for men, because it has so much less efficacy."
Women would still need therapy to address low sexual desire, she said.
"That therapy needs to assist them and their partner with communication, relationship issues, sexual education, and understanding of their own sexuality needs.
"If it were to be available in New Zealand I have no doubt some women would seek to use it and see if it helps them."
A spokesperson for Pharmac said it had not received a funding application for the drug and would prefer that it was first approved for use in New Zealand by Medsafe.
When deciding which medicines to fund, Pharmac must balance the needs of patients with the cost to the taxpayer. Decisions must represent "good value for money for the benefit of all New Zealanders".
Medsafe has yet to respond to the Herald about whether it has received an application for the use of Addyi in New Zealand.
- nzherald.co.nz
