Fears that Asian men may not be up to it may delay the introduction of a rival to Viagra in the Far East.
The manufacturer of the new anti-impotence drug, Uprima, claims its wonder pill works more quickly, taking effect in 20 minutes as against 60 minutes for Viagra. It also claims Uprima lasts for five hours compared to four hours for its rival.
However, health experts in Hong Kong have called for the drug to be tested on Asian men before it is introduced in this part of the world. While tests have been carried out in the US, Uprima's manufacturers, Abbott Laboratories (US) and Takeda Chemical Industries, are not required to test in Hong Kong.
A consultant urologist at Kwong Wah Hospital, Dr Andrew Yip Wai-chun, told the South China Morning Post yesterday that the potential side-effects of Uprima were worrying.
"The drug can produce nausea, sweating, vomiting and yawning. There haven't been any trials on Asian men, which is a worry because of the differences between Western and Asian men, such as the metabolism," he said. "If they really want to introduce it in Hong Kong, a pilot trial would be necessary."
Dr Yip estimates that about 10 per cent of Hong Kong's men, or 200,000, suffer from erectile dysfunction. He said overseas tests had shown a 60 to 70 per cent response rate. The success rate of Viagra is about 80 per cent.
Uprima acts on the central nervous system, whereas Viagra works on the tissues of the sex organ. The new drug improves the signals transmitted to the section of the brain that receives sexual stimulus.
Trials of Viagra were undertaken voluntarily on mainland China by its manufacturer, Pfizer.
A Department of Health spokesman in Hong Kong said that, so long as the drug worked and was proven, race would not come into it.
Uprima's manufacturer said the side-effects were not a serious problem. "All products can have side-effects, such as headaches and so on. It is pretty common in drugs," a spokesman said.
He said that, despite Viagra's position as the market leader, he was confident the company's product could compete.