Co-Founder, BoD, Vella Bioscience Inc., Co-inventor, Vella Pleasure Serum
Sexual Wellness is Adjacent to Sexual Health and Medicine and We Must Develop Products in Accordance with the Well-Established Methodology from the Arena of Sexual Medicine and Pharmacotherapy The pandemic saw the entry and growth of numerous companies and products focused on wellness and self-care. The arena of female sexual wellness was no exception. Most such entities followed the script of the beauty industry. Instead of discussing how an active ingredient works (mechanism of action) including preclinical studies and subsequent clinical trial evidence for effectiveness and tolerability, the marketing of female sexual wellness products revolved around clean ingredients (an unnecessary claim if one utilizes well established and scientifically validated ingredients such as pure isolates) that included unproven or already disproven (in the sexual medicine literature) ingredients, often combined without any evidence for synergy or additive effects. One effective molecule obviates the need for a soup of junk. Combinations should demonstrate at least an additive, if not superaddative effect, let alone synergy. There is a paucity of products which provide efficacy and tolerability data and, more often than not, we are left with just testimonials. Uniquely in the cannabis arena, as opposed to cannabinoid arena, plant derived extracts with unknown cannabinoid composition and percentages are extolled as “full spectrum”. Research has demonstrated some cannabinoids are prosexual and some are absolutely (Data on file, Vella Bioscience). This is antithetical to medical science- one must know what you are delivering and in what quantities. Female sexual medicine and pharmacotherapy has evolved to provide prescriptive methodologies for preclinical studies that provide understanding of the mechanism of action and clinical trial constructs for determining efficacy and tolerability that can be readily carried over to female sexual wellness. Yes, you need very specific medical expertise to harness and utilize these approaches. The wheel does not need to be reinvented. Since we are speaking of sex, it is critical to ensure that a product facilitates safe sexual activity. Formal condom compatibility studies provide such assurances for local or topically delivered products. Partner impact considerations may be relevant, as well. Some companies are actually following the science. We plan to highlight these companies for consumers. The Consortium and its SAB is here to help any company willing to commit to the development of scientifically validated female sexual wellness products. We encourage you to join us on this mission. Women are intelligent consumers and today they not only deserve scientifically validated products but are demanding it.
