Multimedia Release: British Men Think Talking About Impotence is “Just Not Cricket”

LONDON -

- Former England Cricketer and Spin Ace, Phil Tufnell, and Media Doctor and GP, Dr Rob Hicks, Call on Men to Bat Away Embarrassment and Take Appropriate Action on Impotence

With the first innings of the Ashes commencing this week, celebrity TV presenter and former England cricketer and spin ace, Phil Tufnell is calling on British blokes to think about their health as well as the Ashes Test Series this summer. Concerned that many men may not be able to bowl their maiden over, Phil is encouraging blokes who may experience impotence to visit www.bowlyourmaidenover.com to learn about the condition and why their doctor is best placed to help. Bowl Your Maiden Over is sponsored and brought to you by Lilly UK.

To view the Multimedia News Release, please click: www.prnewswire.com/mnr/bowlyourmaidenover/39040/

Impotence is common. 40% of men over the age of 40 have experienced some degree of impotence(1) yet many do not speak to a doctor(2). The latest data suggest that almost one third of men attempt to self-treat impotence by purchasing treatments from uncontrolled sources(2)(*). In the case of medicines, a study showed 65% accessed from these sources are imitations with relatively high health risks(2). Bowl Your Maiden Over encourages men to avoid unnecessary risk and to speak to their GP about impotence and the range of different treatment options available - 95% of cases can be treated by a healthcare professional(3).

Commenting on why men fail to take appropriate action on impotence, Phil Tufnell says, “Over five and a half million fellas in the UK may be experiencing some degree of impotence,(1,4) but no one seems to talk about it. But because of all this embarrassment and silence, men don’t know what to do about the condition. So I’m encouraging blokes to take action. The message is simple: lads, if you can’t bowl your maiden over, go to www.bowlyourmaidenover.com and then, if necessary, visit your GP for help.”

Research shows that most men wait for a year or longer before speaking to their GP.(5) Commenting on this, media doctor and GP Rob Hicks says, “There’s really no need for embarrassment when it comes to impotence. This is a common condition that GPs see week in, week out. Given this, it’s strange that men still duck for cover when the word is mentioned. There’s no need - this is not an out-of-bounds condition. GPs are used to talking about it and want to help.”

Supporting the call for men to take appropriate action on impotence, Rob adds, “I want men to enjoy the cricket this summer but to also think about their health. I’m urging men to tackle the issue head on and get information from qualified sources. On top of that, impotence may impact on a couple’s relationship so it makes sense to speak to your GP and get things back on track(6).”

Concluding, Phil Tufnell says, “I’m looking forward to sharing some top cricket stats with blokes this summer but before the Ashes gets underway, I want to knock about some facts on impotence: you’re not alone if you experience it. In fact, if a large Test ground, such as Lord’s, was full of men aged 40 and over, at least 10,000 blokes would have experienced impotence(1,7). Trying to get help without speaking to a professional is a risky business, so get down to the GP and make sure your kit is in order.”

As a first step, men can visit a new impotence information website at www.bowlyourmaidenover.com. It is provided alongside www.40over40.com, a website that offers information and advice about impotence and includes a simple action plan to help men prepare for a conversation with their GP. Both websites are sponsored and brought to you by Eli Lilly and Company Limited (Lilly UK).

Note to Editors

* Uncontrolled sources of impotence treatments tend to provide services without the patient requiring a medical consultation and/or prescription

Decisions about impotence treatment and men’s overall health should be made by patients in consultation with a doctor. Buying treatments from internet sites, or other sources, which do not provide professional, qualified medical advice puts the patient at risk.

What is impotence?

Impotence, or erectile dysfunction, occurs when the penis does not get hard (erect) enough to allow a man to have sexual activity. This happens because not enough blood can get into, or stay, in the penis(6).

What causes impotence?

In most cases, the cause of impotence is a physical one. It can be a symptom of other illnesses including diabetes, high blood pressure or nerve problems(6,8,9,10). In many cases there will be a combination of both physical and psychological factors.

Why has www.bowlyourmaidenover.com been developed?

Impotence is commonly experienced by men over the age of 40,(1) many of who may be cricket fans. A cricket analogy is being used in this summer’s impotence information campaign to help men engage with this health problem and discuss the topic with their GP. The Bowl Your Maiden Over disease awareness campaign is in association with www.40over40.com, an erectile dysfunction educational website.

Both activities/resources are sponsored and brought to you by Eli Lilly and Company Limited (Lilly UK).

Disease awareness campaigns

Guidance is provided on healthcare communications and disease awareness campaigns in the UK by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). More information can be found at: www.mhra.gov.uk/ and www.abpi.org.uk/links/assoc/PMCPA/pmpca_code2006.pdf

References

1) Feldman HA, Goldstein I, Hatzichristou DG et al. Impotence and its medical and psychological correlates: results of the Massachusetts male aging study. Journal of Urology 1994; 151(1): 54 - 61

2) Banks I, Kirby M, Marfatia A et al. Assessment, in a general population of men, of men’s interaction with the healthcare system to obtain Phospodiesterase Type 5 Inhibitors. Poster presented at Joint Congress of the European and International Societies for Sexual Medicine, Belgium, 2008

3) WGBH Educational Foundation 2006, Impotence: causes and treatments, www.jcn.co.uk/journal.asp.?MonthNum=10&YearNum=1999&Type=backissue&ArticleID=186 Last accessed 19.06.09

(Due to the length of this URL, it may be necessary to copy and paste this hyperlink into your Internet browser’s URL address field. Remove the space if one exists.)

4) 14,052,000 men in the UK are aged 40 or over according to data from the Office for National Statistics, General Register Office for Scotland, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency:www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=15106. Last accessed 23.06.09. 40% of men over the age of 40 have experienced some degree of impotence according to Feldman HA et al. (reference 1 within this document). It can therefore be calculated that 5,620,800 men in the UK may be experiencing some form of impotence

5) Haro JM, Beardsworth A, Casariego J et al. Treatment-seeking behavior of erectile dysfunction patients in Europe: results of the erectile dysfunction observational study. Journal of Sexual Medicine 2006; 3: 530 - 540

6) Miller TA. Diagnostic evaluation of erectile dysfunction. American Family Physician 2000; 61(1): 95 - 104, 109 - 110

7) BBC Sport venue guide, news.bbc.co.uk/sport/hi/english/static/in_depth/cricket/2001/ashes/venues/lords.stm. Last accessed 12.06.09

(Due to the length of this URL, it may be necessary to copy and paste this hyperlink into your Internet browser’s URL address field. Remove the space if one exists.)

Wagner G, Mulhall J. Pathophysiology and diagnosis of male erectile dysfunction. BJU International 2001; 88 (Suppl 3): 3 - 10

9) Bloomgarden ZT. American Diabetes Association annual meeting, 1999: nephropathy and neuropathy. Diabetes Care 2000; 23(4): 549 - 556

10) Dey J, Shepherd MD. Evaluation and treatment of erectile dysfunction in men with diabetes mellitus. Mayo Clinic Proceedings 2002; 77: 276 - 282

This activity is sponsored and brought to you by Eli Lilly and Company Limited (Lilly UK). Eli Lilly and Company Limited, Basingstoke, RG24 9NL.

Prepared June 2009, UKCLS00232

Source: Eli Lilly and Company Limited

For further information, contact Aurora: Sarah Hoffman / sarah at auroracomms.com / +44(0)20-7424-7944 / +44(0)7809-127-499 or Claire Eldridge / claire at auroracomms.com / +44(0)20-7424-7942 / +44(0)7736-277-106 or Aaron Pond / aaron at auroracomms.com / +44(0)20-7424-7943 / +44(0)7872-812-405