Viva Viagra: Drug Now Sold Online in Attempt to Halt Counterfeit Versions of Product (Video)

For those who were too afraid to purchase erectile dysfunction medication at the doctor's office: for fear they might seem less-manly, their friends would think they live in an outdoor bathtub or a four-hour erection would send them to the emergency room. Fear not! For now, the popular sexual enhancement pill, Viagra, is available online.

Thanks to Pfizer, who announced Monday it was setting up its own site to sell the drug, health officials hope this will cut the battle for sale of its counterfeit versions.

The company said that online pharmacies have proliferated in recent years to meet consumer demand for all manner of medication, but that most of these sites are not legitimate.

According to various reports, Viagra is Pfizer's most counterfeited product. A 2011 study conducted by the company found that 80 percent of the top 22 sites that sell the drugs using the phrase "buy Viagra" were counterfeit medications, which only have a fraction of the active ingredients. 

The new site, Viagra.com, will direct consumers to a site run by CVS (CVS, Fortune 500) pharmacy. Customers must have a prescription to order from the site, and insurance coverage can be used to lower the price of the pills.

Pfizer said the cost of Viagra depends on the strength of the drug and the quantity ordered, and will be set by CVS. The wholesale cost for the 100 mg tablets is $22 a pill. The site is offering customers three free pills with their first order, and 30 percent off their second order.

This is the first time a major drugmaker is moving into online sales rather than simply selling through drug wholesalers and pharmacies. Pfizer said it will consider expanding online sales to other products in the future.

Want to find out how Viagra works? Check out this educational video, courtesy of YouTube.