Men over the age of 18 will now be able to get their hands on the impotence drug over the counter.
All that is required to obtain Viagra Connect, which contains 50g of sildenafil, is an assessment by a pharmacist.
A prescription will no longer be required.
The decision was made today by the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) after a public consultation, with the idea in mind it will make the drug more available to men who may not have previously sought help.
The change will mean Britain will become the first country in the world to offer Viagra over the counter.
American drugmaker Pfizer has revealed it is working on launching the non-prescription version of the medicine in the UK in the spring of 2018.
Pharmacists will be able to determine if the blue pill is appropriate for the patient, as well as offer advice on erectile dysfunction and possible side effects.
But men with severe heart problems, those at risk of heart conditions, those with liver failure or those taking “interacting medicines” will still need a prescription.
Mick Foy, MHRA’s group manager in vigilance and risk management of medicines, told the BBC: “This decision is good news for men’s health.
“Erectile dysfunction can be a debilitating condition, so it’s important men feel they have fast access to quality and legitimate care, and do not feel they need to turn to counterfeit online supplies which could have potentially serous side-effects.”
Talks of Viagra being available over the counter without prescription first emerged in March this year.
Erectile dysfunction – also known as impotence – is the inability to get and maintain and erection.
It can be caused by a range of conditions, including heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.
Viagra works by relaxing blood vessels and boosting blood to flow to the penis.
Erectile dysfunction is very common – particularly among older men – and it is estimated that half of all men between the ages of 40 and 70 will have it to some extent.
It was announced in August this year that viagra and the morning after pill could be delivered by drone following successful UK trials.
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