The Russian president wanted to develop competition with drugs to support erectionsuch as Viagra, Cialis or Levitra. But the futile effort, which cost millions, ended in failure. Despite that the state invested approximately one billion rubles, i.e. more than 11 million euros, in research, the resulting preparation does not work according to experts.
The project was launched in 2016 after Western medicines were unavailable in Russia due to sanctions. The scientists were supposed to develop a preparation based on substances obtained from the musk of the kabar musky raised on a state farm. The drug, called Muskuliv, was supposed to be Russia’s answer to Western competition.
However, the costs increased by 60% over the planned budget, and even after about ten years of research, it was not possible to develop an effective drug for erectile dysfunction. Immunologist Professor Andrej Prodeus stated that the preparation has the most psychological effect. “Thirty percent of erectile dysfunction is psychological. Even a placebo can help. But a real drug needs a clear mechanism of action, and this one doesn’t have one.”
The Russian Supreme Audit Office informed Putin directly about the fiasco asked the Attorney General’s Office to investigate the high costs of the project. Investigators also revealed that the caber farm, which opened four years late, never completed the planned state-of-the-art laboratory. Moreover, instead of the promised 600 grams of musk, it produced only 128 grams.
The rights to the drug were subsequently transferred to a private pharmaceutical company, which can thus privatize any profits, although the entire project was financed with public money. Sharp criticism appeared on the Internet. Putin has long been known for his fondness for products from deer-like even-toed ungulates. However, experts point out that there is no scientific evidence for the alleged healing effects of preparations from these animals.
