FDA questions effectiveness of 'female Viagra'

WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal health experts meet this week to review the first pill designed to boost the female sex drive, more than a decade after Pfizer's drug Viagra sparked the search for a female counterpart.

But even if the drug from Boehringer Ingelheim wins approval, experts say it will probably fall short of blockbuster sales due to limited effectiveness and skepticism about the usefulness of pharmaceuticals for boosting female libido.

In its review posted online, the Food and Drug Administration says two Boehringer studies failed to show a significant increase in sexual desire, though women did report more sexually satisfying experiences.

FDA regulators also noted side effects like depression, fainting and dizziness among women taking the pill.