As you perform research and visit online pharmacies, the odds are you will eventually see counterfeit Viagra. You can tell it's counterfeit Viagra because it's typically priced well below genuine Viagra. For your safety, you should know that the FDA has not approved a generic version of Viagra (or generic versions of erectile-dysfunction drugs Cialis or Levitra for that matter). Therefore, any other form of Viagra other than genuine Viagra, which is manufactured by Pfizer, is considered to be illegal in the United States.

Non-genuine Viagra contains unknown ingredients and is considered a potential health risk for that reason. Much of the “generic” Viagra being sold on the internet is manufactured in foreign countries. These pills may or may not look like real Viagra. They may contain too little or too much active ingredients, and they may contain ingredients that do not belong in Viagra. So, it makes sense that they also may or may not be effective for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

FDA Warning

The FDA warns consumers against purchasing non-genuine, non-FDA approved Viagra and other “knock-off” medications sold as “generic.” Although there are countless FDA-approved generic versions of medications that are safe for consumption, there is no FDA-approved generic version of Viagra or any erectile dysfunction (ED) drug. There is literally a countless number of online pharmacies that illegally sell non-genuine, non-FDA-approved Viagra products under the Viagra name.

As a good rule of thumb, when researching an online pharmacy, look to see if both a physical address and a phone number are listed under the “Contact Us” or similar tab. If not, it is obvious the pharmacy is being evasive, that the pharmacy does not want to make it easy for you to locate them if there is a problem, and therefore it may not be a “legitimate” operation.

Viagra Shams

You may see online pharmacies that sell various versions of Viagra such as “herbal Viagra,” “Viagra soft-tabs,”  “Viagra Professional,” or even Viagra gels or jellies. The manufacturers of these items do not have the permission of Pfizer, the manufacturer of genuine Viagra, to use the Viagra trademark. Although Pfizer has teamed with U.S. Federal authorities to help thwart the unlawful sale of non-genuine Viagra products, it is often very expensive and difficult to locate illegal drug operations in foreign countries.

Genuine, FDA-approved Viagra is blue and in the shape of a rounded diamond. It has the manufacturer name “Pfizer” on the front (with a distinctive font and noticeably unique “f,” not block letters or some other variation). On the back of genuine Viagra are the letters “VGR,” following immediately by the dosage in milligrams (25, 50 or 100).

Learn to Recognize Real and Fake Viagra

Following are examples of genuine, FDA-approved Viagra.

Following are examples of non-FDA-approved “generic” Viagra.

      

None of the three FDA-approved erectile dysfunction pills have the full name of the pill (Viagra, Cialis and Levitra) on either side.

Descriptions of FDA-Approved Cialis and Levitra

Genuine, FDA-approved Cialis is a yellow, almond-shaped pill with a cursive "C" and either a "10" or "20" to indicate milligrams, on the front. The back of the pill is blank.

Genuine, FDA-approved Levitra is a round pill with a criss-cross "Bayer" insignia on one side. The other side contains either a large "10" or "20" to indicate milligrams.