Merthyr Tydfil: The groundbreaking industrial town that inspired Viagra's development

The discovery of Viagra, a popular drug used to treat erectile dysfunction in men, can be attributed to a group of men from Merthyr Tydfil, a town in south Wales. During the town's industrial decline, many locals, including former steelworkers in need of money, volunteered as medical test subjects at a local research center. Little did they know that their participation in a trial would change the world. In the early 1990s, the pharmaceutical company Pfizer was conducting tests on a compound called Sildenafil UK-92,480 to treat high blood pressure and angina. They outsourced the medical studies to a research house in Merthyr Tydfil and recruited young local men to participate. One of these men was Idris Price, who had been laid off from the steelworks and was in need of cash. Idris recalls going to a place called Simbec to sign up for the drug trial. He and the other volunteers were not informed about the specifics of the drug, except that it was meant to treat angina and could have side effects. Despite their apprehensions, the young men agreed to take the UK-92,480 pill three times a day for ten consecutive days. The payment they received for participating in the trial was vital to their families during the difficult economic times. After the trial, some of the volunteers started reporting unexpected side effects related to their erections. This revelation became the "lightbulb moment" for Pfizer. They decided to allocate funds for further research on erectile dysfunction, leading to clinical trials at Southmead Hospital in Bristol and Morriston Hospital in Swansea. The Swansea trial included men with diabetes and heart disease since these conditions can also cause erectile dysfunction. The positive results from the trials convinced Pfizer that they had a potentially groundbreaking drug. They were initially concerned about launching a medication focused on sexual performance in a conservative world. However, they used the feedback from the trial participants to shape their marketing message, focusing on how the drug could improve relationships. Viagra was introduced to the market in 1998, becoming the first approved oral treatment for erectile dysfunction. It quickly became the fastest-selling drug in history, with annual sales peaking at almost $2 billion in 2008. The role of Merthyr Tydfil in the discovery of Viagra remained unknown to Idris and other volunteers until recently, when researchers from the BBC documentary "Keeping It Up" shared the story with them. The origin of Viagra in south Wales has been adapted into a feature-length drama called "Men Up" and written by Russell T Davies. The NHS states that erectile dysfunction is very common, particularly in men over 40, affecting around half of men aged 40 to 70 in the UK. By 2025, it is estimated that 322 million men worldwide may be affected by the condition.