Well, we already figured out that nitric oxide, which expands blood vessels, plays a big role in male erections. It’s a component of some erectile dysfunction drugs. Now they’ve found that sildenafil (viagra) which releases nitric oxide can be used to help newborn infants with breathing problems.
Apparently nitric oxide gas has traditionally been used to help little ones breathe, and it’s very expensive or simply not available. This is a dramatic discovery for babies in developing countries, which is where 90% of the babies in the world with this problem live, and where they cannot normally afford the gas. In one study babies who received sildenafil improved oxygenation and had a 92% survival rate–as opposed to 49% for babies receiving placebo.
The FDA hasn’t approved this use for the drug. And researchers are calling for much more precise studies. But, at $5 to $10 a dose, we’re talking an eminently affordable way to save lives within the first few days of those babies’ lives.