Brand-name Viagra (sildenafil) in Spain: the rules, the dose and the box
| Availability: | Yes |
| Delivery: | 4-7 days |
| Payment: | credit cards, bank transfer |
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Viagra is the original brand of sildenafil, the first tablet licensed for erectile dysfunction. Pfizer developed it; the European licence now belongs to Upjohn EESV, part of Viatris, which also distributes it in Spain. Spanish pharmacies stock it in 25, 50 and 100 mg, and only on prescription.
Below the prices you'll find how to take it, who shouldn't, how getting it works if you live here, and what a genuine Spanish pack looks like. This page sells 100 mg only, the highest dose, and the source of the tablets isn't stated. In Spain, prescription-only medicines may not be sold online, and customs can hold a parcel that contains them. We do not check prescriptions: talk to your doctor before you order.
| What it is | A brand-name treatment for erectile dysfunction, from the PDE5 inhibitor family. |
|---|---|
| Active ingredient | Sildenafil (as citrate); sildenafilo on Spanish labels. |
| Licence holder | Upjohn EESV (Viatris group); distributed in Spain by Viatris Pharmaceuticals S.L. The tablet is still stamped «PFIZER». |
| Packs in Spanish pharmacies | 25 mg (4 tablets), 50 mg (2, 4 or 8) and 100 mg (4 or 8), according to CIMA, the AEMPS medicines database. |
| Prescription? | Yes, prescription-only. The Spanish public system doesn't pay for it. |
| Dose | 50 mg about an hour before sex; 25 or 100 mg depending on response. No more than 100 mg, once a day. |
| Appearance | Blue, rounded diamond, «PFIZER» on one side and «VGR 100» on the other (100 mg). |
| In this shop | «Viagra Brand» 100 mg, from 4 to 120 tablets (up to 8 extra free). No supplier, batch or origin given. |
If you're used to buying Viagra in the UK
Two things work differently here. First, Spain has no over-the-counter sildenafil: there's no equivalent of Viagra Connect, and every sildenafil product on CIMA is prescription-only. Second, a UK prescription isn't valid in a Spanish pharmacy. Prescriptions from other EU countries are, provided they include the details Spanish rules ask for.
You'll also find that Spanish pharmacists usually offer generic sildenafil (marked EFG) alongside the brand. Spain has had generics since 2013, and to approve one the AEMPS requires it to reach your bloodstream in the same amount and at the same speed as Viagra. Brand and generic differ in name, colour, shape and price; the dose, effect and precautions are the same. «Original» means the inventor's brand, not a stronger pill.
What a genuine Spanish pack looks like
This list helps you spot obvious fakes. It can't prove a pack is genuine.
| Check | Spanish pharmacy pack |
|---|---|
| Language | Box and leaflet (prospecto) in Spanish, with a six-digit código nacional (CN) and «Medicamento sujeto a prescripción médica». |
| Pack size | 100 mg comes in boxes of 4 or 8 only. A «genuine» box of 12, 16 or 120 doesn't match anything sold in Spain. |
| Batch and expiry | Printed on the carton and on every blister, and they match. |
| 2D barcode and seal | A square datamatrix code with a unique serial number, plus a tamper-evident seal. Since 9 February 2019 the pharmacy scans it against the national system (SEVeM) before handing it over. You can't do that check at home. |
| Tablet | Blue rounded diamond, «PFIZER» / «VGR 100». |
| Official record | Search «Viagra» on cima.aemps.es for the licensed packs, the product information and the leaflet (in Spanish). |
Counterfeiters copy boxes and markings well, so a pack that looks right proves little. What protects you is the supply chain: manufacturer, licensed wholesaler, pharmacy, and the barcode scan at the counter. A parcel posted to your door skips all of that. If you're unsure about a pack, don't take it: show it to a pharmacist or report it to the AEMPS.
What it treats
Erectile dysfunction in adult men. It helps you get and keep an erection when you're sexually aroused; without arousal nothing happens. It doesn't raise libido, delay ejaculation or protect against infections, and it isn't licensed for women or under-18s.
Erection problems are often linked to high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol or smoking, so a check-up is worth having even if the tablet works.
Taking it
- Swallow one whole tablet with water roughly an hour before sex.
- Most men start on 50 mg. Your doctor may move you up to 100 mg or down to 25 mg.
- One dose a day at most, even if it didn't work.
- A large or fatty meal slows it down: peak levels arrive about an hour later on average.
- With serious liver or kidney problems, or alongside certain antibiotics and antifungals, a 25 mg start is considered. Age alone doesn't change the dose.
Where is the tablet up to?
Pick what you ate, then drag the slider to the time since you took it. It uses average figures from the product information, so treat it as a rough guide.
When not to take it
The Spanish product information (ficha técnica) rules it out if you:
- use any nitrate (GTN spray or tablets, isosorbide mononitrate or dinitrate), poppers (amyl nitrite) or riociguat;
- have a heart condition that makes sex inadvisable, such as unstable angina or severe heart failure;
- have recently had a heart attack or stroke, or your blood pressure is below 90/50;
- have severe liver disease or retinitis pigmentosa;
- have lost sight in one eye from NAION (a blocked blood supply to the optic nerve);
- are allergic to sildenafil or any of the ingredients.
Talk to a doctor first if you have Peyronie's disease (a curved penis), sickle cell anaemia, myeloma or leukaemia, a stomach ulcer or a bleeding disorder, or take an alpha-blocker for blood pressure or your prostate.
Side effects
Headache is the most common, affecting more than 1 in 10 men. Flushing, hot flushes, a blocked nose, dizziness, nausea and indigestion are also common. Some men see a blue tinge or slightly blurred vision for a few hours, so don't drive if that happens. Most effects are mild and pass on their own.
- you get chest pain or tightness during or after sex: don't use GTN, and tell staff you've taken sildenafil;
- an erection lasts 4 hours or more;
- you suddenly lose vision in one or both eyes, or lose your hearing;
- your face, lips or tongue swell or you struggle to breathe.
Suspected side effects can be reported to the Spanish system at notificaRAM.es.
Medicines that don't mix
| Medicine | Effect |
|---|---|
| Nitrates, poppers, riociguat | Dangerous fall in blood pressure. Never combine. |
| Ritonavir (HIV) | Around eleven times more sildenafil in the blood. Not recommended. |
| Erythromycin, clarithromycin, ketoconazole, itraconazole, saquinavir | Higher sildenafil levels; a 25 mg start is considered. |
| Doxazosin and other alpha-blockers | Dizziness on standing. You should be stable on them first; 25 mg start considered. |
| Other erection medicines | Not studied together. Don't mix them. |
Alcohol doesn't change how sildenafil is absorbed, but a few drinks make erections harder on their own and add to dizziness.
Alternatives
- Generic Viagra: the same sildenafil under another name, for less.
- Original Cialis (tadalafil): works for up to 36 hours and food doesn't delay it.
- Original Levitra (vardenafil): lasts about as long as Viagra, but is hard to find in Spanish pharmacies today.
If Viagra already suits you, a generic is usually the cheaper route. If it didn't work at the right dose, your doctor may suggest a different active ingredient.
Getting a prescription here
If you're registered with the Spanish health service and have a tarjeta sanitaria, ask your médico de familia (GP) at the local centro de salud. A private doctor or urologist can also prescribe it. Either way you'll pay the full price at the farmacia: the public system doesn't fund erectile dysfunction medicines.
Delivery
We don't sell from a shop counter or offer collection; orders go by post or courier. Times and terms are on our delivery conditions page.
Common questions
Can I buy original Viagra without a prescription in Spain?
No. All sildenafil, brand or generic, is prescription-only in Spain and may only be dispensed by a pharmacy. There's no over-the-counter version like the UK's Viagra Connect.
Will my UK prescription work in a Spanish pharmacy?
No, UK prescriptions aren't accepted. One from another EU country can be dispensed if it has the required details; otherwise you'll need a Spanish doctor to write a new one.
Is brand Viagra better than the generic?
There's no reason to expect it: same active ingredient, same dose, and the generic has been shown to be absorbed the same way. Some people simply prefer the familiar tablet.
Is Viagra made by Pfizer or Viatris?
Pfizer invented and launched it. When Pfizer spun off its Upjohn division, which merged with Mylan in 2020 to form Viatris, the European licence moved to Upjohn EESV. Older or parallel-imported packs may still show Pfizer.
How fast does it work, and for how long?
Usually within 30 to 60 minutes, and the effect lasts a few hours rather than days. It's slower after a heavy meal; the slider above shows roughly where a dose is up to.
Can I tell if the pack I receive is genuine?
Not with certainty. The barcode check is done by the pharmacy when it dispenses. The table above helps you spot warning signs, such as a pack size that doesn't exist in Spain or a leaflet that isn't in Spanish.
Can I drink alcohol with it?
A drink won't interfere with sildenafil. Several will make erections harder and raise the risk of dizziness and low blood pressure.
Sources: Viagra product information and patient leaflet (CIMA, AEMPS); Viagra EPAR (European Medicines Agency); Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/161 on safety features; BIFIMED, Spanish Ministry of Health; Royal Decree 81/2014 (EU prescriptions). General information only, not a substitute for medical advice. In Spain, prescription-only medicines may not be sold online, and customs can hold a parcel that contains them. We do not check prescriptions: talk to your doctor before you order.
