ED medicine brands in the Philippines
Every sildenafil and tadalafil brand on Philippine pharmacy shelves, from Viagra and Cialis to Spiagra, Torfil and Zilden, and how to check FDA registration.
Short answer
Almost every ED medicine on Philippine shelves is one of two active ingredients: sildenafil (the original brand is Viagra) or tadalafil (the original brand is Cialis). Brands such as Spiagra, Erecto, Zilden and RiteMed are generic sildenafil; Torfil, Thafil and Tadah Forte are generic tadalafil. All are prescription medicines.
Walk up to a Watsons, TGP or Southstar counter with a prescription for sildenafil and you may be offered half a dozen boxes with different names and very different prices. This hub explains what those names mean, how a generic relates to the original, and how to check that any brand is registered with the FDA Philippines. Each brand has its own page below.
What is the difference between a brand and a generic?
The original brand is the first version of a medicine, made by the company that developed it. A generic is the same active ingredient made by another company after the patent has expired, sold under its own brand name or simply as the generic name.
In the ED aisle, the originals are sildenafil (Viagra), developed by Pfizer, and tadalafil (Cialis), developed by Eli Lilly. Both are now off patent, which is why Filipino and foreign manufacturers make their own versions. Philippine law encourages this. The Generics Act of 1988 (RA 6675) requires doctors to write the generic name on every prescription, so a prescription for "sildenafil" can usually be filled with any registered sildenafil product at that strength. Your pharmacist can show you the options.
Is a generic as good as the original?
A registered generic is the same medicine. It must contain the same active ingredient at the same strength and be shown to be bioequivalent to the original.
Bioequivalence means the generic delivers the active ingredient into the bloodstream in the same amount and at the same rate, within tight limits, so it acts the same way in the body. The US FDA describes approved generics as providing the same clinical benefit and risks as their brand-name versions. What can differ is the tablet's colour, shape and size, the inactive ingredients (fillers, coatings, dyes), the box and, above all, the price. A generic sildenafil can cost a small fraction of the original; see all verified prices.
Which ED medicine brands are sold in the Philippines?
The main ones are listed below by active ingredient. Prices are on each brand page and the prices hub, never in this table, because they change.
| Active ingredient | Brand | Type | Strengths seen on PH listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sildenafil | Viagra | Original | 25, 50, 100 mg |
| Sildenafil | Spiagra | Generic | 100 mg |
| Sildenafil | Erecto | Generic | 50 mg |
| Sildenafil | Zilden | Generic | 50, 100 mg |
| Sildenafil | RiteMed Sildenafil | Generic | 50, 100 mg |
| Sildenafil | Andros | Generic | 50, 100 mg |
| Sildenafil | Tigerfil | Generic | 50 mg |
| Sildenafil | Robust Plus | Generic | 50 mg |
| Sildenafil | Kohagra | Generic | 25 mg |
| Sildenafil | Erecfil, Sildesaph | Generic | listed online, being checked |
| Tadalafil | Cialis | Original | 5, 20 mg |
| Tadalafil | Torfil | Generic | 2.5, 10, 20 mg |
| Tadalafil | Thafil | Generic, orodispersible film | 10 mg |
| Tadalafil | Tadah Forte | Generic | being checked |
| Tadalafil | Robust Max (Robust T) | Generic | 20 mg |
The strengths are only what we saw on pharmacy listings; a brand may exist in other strengths. Which strength you use is decided by your doctor.
One naming trap: Robust Plus and Robust Max are prescription sildenafil and tadalafil products, but the Robust name is also used on herbal supplements. Supplements are not ED medicines, and evidence does not support using them for ED. Read the box: a real ED medicine names sildenafil or tadalafil and is marked as needing a prescription.
How do you check if a brand is registered with the FDA Philippines?
Use the FDA Philippines verification portal at verification.fda.gov.ph. Search the brand or generic name and check that the product, strength and company match the box in your hand.
A registered product shows a registration number, the generic name, the dosage strength and the company that holds the registration. If a product you were offered does not appear, or the details differ, do not use it. Unregistered ED pills and "herbal" capsules spiked with sildenafil are a recurring problem in the Philippines, and the FDA has issued advisories against many of them. Pharmacy chains such as Watsons, Mercury Drug, TGP, Southstar Drug and Rose Pharmacy dispense registered products; marketplace and social media sellers are where fakes turn up. Our guide to fake ED pills shows what to look for.
Does the brand change what a doctor prescribes?
Usually not. The doctor prescribes the medicine and strength; the brand is often your choice at the pharmacy.
Some men prefer to stay on one brand because they are used to it, or because they tolerate one tablet's inactive ingredients better than another's. That is reasonable, and worth telling your doctor. Whether sildenafil or tadalafil suits you better is a separate, medical question; see sildenafil vs tadalafil. Every brand here needs a prescription, as explained in is Viagra over the counter?.
Brand pages
- Cialis (tadalafil) in the PhilippinesCialis is the original tadalafil, from Lilly, now held by Zuellig Pharma in the Philippines. Strengths, checked prices, FDA registration and Cialis vs generics.
- Erecto (sildenafil) in the PhilippinesErecto is a generic sildenafil 50 mg tablet at TGP, the cheapest verified 50 mg on this site. Its FDA registration, checked price and Erecto vs Viagra.
- RiteMed sildenafil in the PhilippinesRiteMed sildenafil comes in 50 and 100 mg from the Unilab group's generics arm. FDA registration, suggested retail price, pharmacy prices and Viagra compared.
- Spiagra (sildenafil) in the PhilippinesSpiagra is a generic sildenafil sold at TGP. What it is, how to check its FDA Philippines registration, its checked price and how it compares with Viagra.
- Tadah Forte (tadalafil) in the PhilippinesTadah Forte is a tadalafil brand listed for the Philippines. What it contains, how to check its FDA registration, its price status and Cialis compared.
- Thafil (tadalafil) in the PhilippinesThafil is tadalafil as a film that dissolves on the tongue, offered by NowExpress. How it works, its FDA registration, price status and Thafil vs Cialis.
- Torfil (tadalafil) in the PhilippinesTorfil is a generic tadalafil at Watsons in 2.5, 10 and 20 mg. Who makes it, how to check its FDA registration, checked prices and how it compares with Cialis.
- Viagra (sildenafil) in the PhilippinesViagra is the original sildenafil, now from Viatris. Strengths, checked Watsons prices, how to check FDA registration and how it compares with cheaper generics.
- Zilden (sildenafil) in the PhilippinesZilden is a generic sildenafil stocked at Watsons and Southstar Drug in 50 and 100 mg. How to check its FDA registration, checked prices and Zilden vs Viagra.
Sources
- 1.FDA Philippines product verification portal. Food and Drug Administration Philippines.
- 2.Generic Drug Facts. US Food and Drug Administration.
- 3.Republic Act No. 6675, the Generics Act of 1988. Lawphil.
- 4.Tadalafil: generic drug information, Philippines. MIMS Philippines.
- 5.Erectile dysfunction (ED) medicines category. Watsons Philippines.
This site is for education only and is not medical advice: diagnosis and treatment, including whether a medicine is right for you and how much to take, are decided by a licensed doctor.