Where and how to get Viagra

Since its approval in the late 1990s, Viagra (sildenafil) has helped millions of people successfully treat their erectile dysfunction (ED). So, where can you get Viagra? And do you need a prescription for it? 

Viagra is a prescription medication, meaning you can only get it by first talking to a licensed healthcare provider in person or virtually. You cannot buy Viagra over the counter or online without a valid prescription — no ifs, ands, or buts. 

Ahead, we break down how to get Viagra safely and legally so you can trust you’re taking the right steps to address your ED symptoms. 

Yes, you need a prescription for Viagra as well as its generic form, sildenafil. To get either version of the drug, you need to meet with a licensed healthcare provider, as they’re the only ones qualified (and legally allowed) to write you a prescription for the drug. You can do this through a trusted telehealth service (such as Ro) or an in-person appointment with your primary care provider or a urologist. 

You also need to be at least 18 years old to get Viagra or sildenafil for ED. The medication is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat sexual dysfunction in males ages 18 years and older. 

Some people may think of ED as exclusively an older man’s issue (likely thanks to those gray-haired Viagra and Cialis commercials). But while the condition does become more common as you age, it can affect people at various points in their lives. Studies estimate ED affects as many as 30% of men under age 40, including 14% of men between 18 and 31. 

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Now that we’ve established you do, in fact, need a prescription to get Viagra, it’s time to answer another hard-hitting question you might have: Where to buy Viagra. 

You can get Viagra online or in person. Here’s what you can expect:

Online  

Getting Viagra online through a trustworthy telehealth service can be a more convenient and discreet alternative to going to your healthcare provider’s office in person. 

Here’s how the process works with Ro, as an example: 

• Online intake form: First, you complete an online form with details about your ED symptoms, medical history, and current medications. 

• Clinical evaluation: Typically within 24 hours, you’ll hear from a licensed healthcare provider who has reviewed your information and determined the best treatment plan for you. 

• Prescription plan: If Viagra is deemed appropriate for you, your provider will prescribe the Rx and you can place the order. Just 4–7 days later, the medication will arrive at your door in discreet packaging. 

Throughout the course of your treatment, your Ro provider will remain available for unlimited follow-up questions and dose adjustments, at no additional cost. It can take some trial and error for some patients to find the right Viagra dose for optimal results; the brand-name drug is available in 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg. 

Others might benefit from a different ED medication, such as Cialis (tadalafil). Either way, your provider will continue to work with you to ensure your treatment experience is safe and successful.

In-office 

While getting a Viagra prescription online might work for some folks, others might prefer the more traditional route: scheduling an in-person appointment with a healthcare provider, such as your primary care physician (PCP). And if you have certain symptoms, such as pain with sex or a curved penis, it can be a good idea to get checked out in person. 

During your consultation, your provider will likely look at the following: 

• Current medications: You’ll need to provide a list of the medications (over-the-counter, prescription, and supplements) you’re currently taking. 

• Medical history: Your provider will also review your medical history, including asking you a series of questions about your symptoms and experiences with sexual dysfunction (e.g., how often you have difficulty getting an erection). 

• Physical exam: They will likely perform a physical exam, too, which may involve looking at your penis and genitalia to assess if any injury or infection could have anything to do with your symptoms. 

All of these steps will help your provider better understand what may be contributing to your ED and determine whether Viagra is a good fit for you. 

If your PCP thinks an underlying condition (e.g., cardiovascular disease or diabetes) may be playing a role in your ED, they may order blood tests and even possibly refer you to a specialist whose expertise is the potential cause for concern. They could also directly prescribe you medications to address the underlying issues. 

They may also recommend seeing a mental health professional (e.g., psychiatrist or therapist) if they believe stress or a mental health condition could be affecting your erectile function. After all, getting and maintaining an erection can be just as much about the mental as it is about the physical. 

Your PCP may refer you to a urologist, a specialist trained in the male reproductive system and urinary tract, who can perform additional tests to determine the cause of ED. 

For example, a urologist may order blood work to assess testosterone levels (low T can negatively impact erectile function) or a penile Doppler ultrasound to evaluate blood flow to the penis. 

Depending on your situation, your healthcare provider might want to address any underlying conditions or causes independently or in tandem with treating ED. All this is to say that you may leave the provider’s office with more than just a prescription (such as Viagra) and a treatment plan for ED. 

You need a prescription for Viagra because it’s a powerful drug that should only be taken if deemed appropriate by a licensed healthcare provider, such as a doctor of medicine (MD or DO), nurse practitioner (NP), or physician assistant (PA). 

Viagra is generally considered safe when taken as prescribed. But like any other prescription medication, it’s not appropriate for everyone, and it can cause side effects. While most of these are mild and well-tolerated, serious adverse reactions to the drug are possible, too. Viagra also comes with a risk of potentially dangerous contraindications and drug interactions. 

A qualified healthcare professional is trained to assess your health, identify potential risks, and ensure the medication is a good fit for you in the context of your overall health. 

It’s also important to have a healthcare provider available to monitor how the drug is impacting you, and to discuss side effects or questions about the drug. It can take some trial and error to find the best Viagra dose for you, which is why treating ED should be an ongoing conversation between you and your healthcare provider. 

There are two main ways you can get and buy Viagra safely once you have a valid prescription: through your local pharmacy or a reputable online pharmacy. 

If you get Viagra through a telehealth program, they should have a trusted pharmacy partner who can fill your Rx. Usually, online pharmacies will ship Viagra directly to your home, and some brick-and-mortar locations offer home delivery — you just have to ask. 

If it’s your first time using an online pharmacy, the FDA has a list of four things to look for to ensure it’s a safe place to get Viagra. For example, the pharmacy should:

• Require a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider

• Have a US telephone number and physical address

• Have a licensed pharmacist on staff who can answer your questions

• Be licensed with a state board of pharmacy

In short, to get Viagra safely, you should follow the same steps you would for any other prescription medication, be it through a local or online pharmacy. And if the latter, make sure it meets the above requirements.

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Viagra is one of the most well-known treatments for ED, but it’s not something you can pick up off the shelf at a nearby drugstore or from any random website. To get it safely and legally, you need a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider and should only get it from a reputable source. Fortunately, there are flexible options for how to do that, both online and in person. 

Here’s a recap of everything we just covered: 

• Viagra is only available with a valid prescription from a licensed healthcare provider. The same is true of its generic form, sildenafil.

• To get Viagra, you must first meet — either in person or virtually — with a licensed healthcare provider. During your appointment, they’ll review your medical history and current medication regimen and ask questions about your symptoms.

• If deemed appropriate, the provider will write a prescription for Viagra, which you can likely fill at a nearby or online pharmacy. Usually, online pharmacies will ship the medication directly to you — just make sure they’re safe according to the FDA’s standards. 

• You cannot buy Viagra over the counter. Any products that claim to be OTC versions of the little blue pill should be avoided because they’re unsafe, illegal, and unproven.