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Town giving free Viagra to senior citizens
Wednesday, April 30, 2008     22:23:13 EDT


SANTIAGO, CHILE -- A working class suburb of Chile's capital began
handing out free Viagra to senior citizens on Wednesday. Lo Prado Mayor
Gonzalo Navarrete said he launched the program because "an active
sexuality improves the overall quality of life."

About 1,500 residents of the working-class area are eligible to receive
as many as four pills of the erectile dysfunction drug each month, the
mayor said. They have to be at least 60 and be registered with the
municipality's health service.

"A doctor will have to certify that they suffer from erectile
dysfunction and that their condition would not put them in danger of
suffering cardio-respiratory side effects," Navarrete told The
Associated Press by telephone.

He said he has assured about US$10,000 (euro6,400) in financing for the
program through the end of the year.

Some government insurance plans in the United States and elsewhere
provide Viagra, but Lo Prado hands the 50mg pills out free, with no
membership in any public or private insurance plan required.

Navarrete said some other mayors in the Santiago area, which includes 34
municipalities, have told him they plan similar programs.

Navarrete said he did not know how many pills had been distributed so far.

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