For more than three decades, men have been able to boost their sexual performance using a little blue pill called Viagra, which generated tens of billions in revenue for drugmaker Pfizer.
Now, scientists at the women’s health biotech group Daré Bioscience have created a $10 product for adult women that works in just 10 minutes.
The first-of-its-kind cream called “DARE to PLAY” increases blood flow in the vagina and improves sexual arousal – a sensation that 20 million women struggle with, according to the Southern California company.
The product uses sildenafil, which is the same active ingredient in Viagra that increases blood flow to the penis and results in an erection.
“When Viagra was approved in 1998, it revolutionized sexual medicine for men. But for women, comparable progress on enhancing the natural arousal sensations has stalled for nearly three decades,” CEO Sabrina Martucci Johnson said in a statement.
“We believe DARE to PLAY represents a long overdue correction, giving women an option to reconnect with their own bodies, their pleasure, and their confidence, using science that finally recognizes their needs.”
So, how does it work?
Daré Bioscience says the cream should be used 10 to 15 minutes before sexual activity and should only be applied once a day.
There were no side effects compared to a placebo in clinical trials.
If you’re interested, you can now talk to a licensed health care provider about prescribing the cream for pre-order in 10 states.
Those states include Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Utah. The cream will be available in other states throughout December and early 2026.
Compounded medications like the cream are typically not covered by insurance, but Daré Bioscience said many people have been able to use Flexible or Health Savings Account funds to pay for it.
The company said it was continuing activities necessary to seek approval of the product from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but noted its effectiveness has been backed by toxicology studies, multiple clinical trials and peer-reviewed research.
Other products promoted for arousal are not held to strict quality, manufacturing, testing or consistency standards and are sold without clear quality or safety assurances, the company claimed.
The cream is available as a Section 503B compounded product. Compounded products are manufactured in a facility that is subject to inspection by the FDA, but the FDA does not evaluate compounded drug products for safety, effectiveness or quality.
