ED Affects 52% of Men — and Most Never Seek Treatment Because They Think It Means a Doctor's Office Visit

Hims is the right first step for men who have been avoiding ED treatment due to discomfort with in-person clinical conversations. The online consultation is conducted asynchronously — you complete a health questionnaire, a licensed physician reviews it and issues a prescription if appropriate, and the medication is dispensed to your door. The entire interaction can happen without a phone call or video appointment, which removes the primary barrier for most men who avoid seeking treatment.

ED treatment with PDE5 inhibitors (sildenafil, tadalafil — the active molecules in Viagra and Cialis) is highly effective: clinical response rates are 70–80% for men with vascular ED, the most common cause. Hims prescribes generic sildenafil or tadalafil at a fraction of the branded drug cost. The online prescription model isn't cutting corners — it's the same medication, the same drug class, the same mechanism, and the same FDA approval. It's the delivery model that's different.

Important contraindication: PDE5 inhibitors are contraindicated with nitrate medications (commonly used for heart conditions). This will be evaluated in the health questionnaire. If you take nitrates or have recent cardiac history, in-person evaluation with a cardiologist before ED treatment is the appropriate path — not a telehealth prescription platform.