Proposed Texas Viagra Bill Necessary for Men’s Safety
Posted by Micaela Elizabeth Canales
April 14, 2017
Texas Representative Jessica Farrar has introduced new legislation that will greatly protect the health and safety of Texas men seeking Viagra prescriptions. But her revolutionary bill does not go far enough to protect this vulnerable population. Texas House Bill 4260 would ensure that men seeking Viagra prescriptions undergo a rectal exam and sonogram at their first Viagra consultation and then wait at least 24 hours from the exam to their actual Viagra prescription. The law would further hold physicians accountable for telling their patients the truth about Viagra and non-procreative sex with “A Man’s Right to Know”. This informational booklet would be required with every Viagra consultation. While these governmental protections are great strides towards preserving men’s health, they do not do enough to protect Texas men from the perilous decision of a Viagra prescription.
True champions of men’s health know that this bill will not sufficiently protect the hearts and minds of Texas men until it ensures that only urologists have the capability to prescribe Viagra. Only then could we be sure that Texas men are fully informed of the mental, emotional, and physical dangers of promiscuous sex –a clear danger of Viagra use.
Viagra is not a simple solution without any side effects, and as anyone who has seen the Viagra commercials knows, “You should ask your doctor if you are healthy enough to have sex.” Requiring that physicians perform rectal exams and sonograms prevents men who may have undiscovered colo-rectal health problems from unsafe Viagra use. Without a mandated thorough examination of the colo-rectal apparatus, which is too oft overlooked, men with colo-rectal issues may unknowingly receive a Viagra prescription.
Requiring men to wait 24 hours from Viagra consultation to prescription is necessary to ensure that men have enough time to really think through their decision to use Viagra. Haste and rushing can cloud judgment, so this 24 hour waiting period means that men will have the opportunity to appropriately second-guess their decisions and consult with their spouses. Time helps them find the right decision.
This time allows men to consider –what is prompting them to use Viagra? Have the considered all of the alternatives? It is possible that they may be feeling uncomfortable because they have sexual urges, but their inability to achieve erection or ejaculation leaves them without relief. These men should know, if they are having difficulty suppressing sexual urges, they should take a page out of Mike Pence’s book and avoid being alone with women. Actually, if anti-choice political scandals have taught us anything, anti-choice politicians should avoid being alone with anyone, ever, because their lust knows no gender or age.
Finally, the booklet portion of Representative Farrar’s law protects male patients from their own ignorance. “A Man’s Right to Know” booklet is a complement to the mandatory consultation and 24 hours waiting period because it provides men with the facts about Viagra use. Viagra has serious side effects, including hearing loss and shortness of breath. Without this booklet, men might not know they could be choosing between permanent hearing loss or a floppy phallus.
I applaud Representative Farrar’s bill on all of the aforementioned accounts, but without a urologist requirement, this bill falls short of its aim. You see, if any old doctor can prescribe Viagra, they make lack sufficient training to evaluate their patients’ eligibility for Viagra. This leaves Texas men vulnerable to malpractice! Hopefully this bill can get off the ground this legislature, so that the urologist requirement can be added next session. Hope you can keep it up lawmakers! Though you’ll have to wait at least 24 hours before you can pharmacologically do so.
Image via Wikimedia Commons
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