As reported by the Wall Street Journal, Pfizer gets additional 6-month patent rights for its popular potency pill Viagra.

The good news came after Pfizer gave commitment to test sildenafil, the active ingredient in the erectile dysfunction treatment, for treating pulmonary hypertension in minors, the WSJ notes, reminding that another Pfizer product Revatio, which contains the same active ingredient as Viagra, is already in use for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in adults.

According to the news source, Pfizer sought FDA approval for introducing Revatio for the treatment of PAH in children after carrying out exhaustive clinical trials to determine the suitability of the medicine in paediatric patients. The verdict from the apex US healthcare regulatory authority is expected to be out by May this year, the WSJ informs.

The newspaper further discloses that Federal laws encourage pharmaceutical companies to test various drugs for paediatric use, adding that exclusive patent protection rights can be extended depending on their compliance with this practice.

Millions of men who fail to get and/or maintain an erection during sexual intercourse rely on Viagra to get themselves out of trouble. Without exclusive patent rights, there is a high risk that the medicine may be produced in generic forms, leading to decreased effectiveness and compromised safety standards, one may say.