Waste of the Day: Viagra for the Military
Topline: Most of America’s military budget is spent on weapons and technology, but justifying the value of some other expenditures is a bit harder.
The Department of War has spent $7 million on Viagra and other erectile dysfunction drugs for active troops since 2021, including $1.8 million in fiscal year 2025.
Key facts: The Defense Logistics Agency bought erectile dysfunction drugs 6,484 times, mostly from the wholesale company Cencora.
Sildenafil — the generic name for Viagra — cost $3.2 million since 2021. The military also bought Tadalafil and several other kinds of ED drugs, including injectables.
Spending was highest in 2024, when the purchases totaled more than $3 million.
The purchases do not list a purpose, and it’s possible not all of the medication was for erectile dysfunction. Sildenafil can also be used to treat pulmonary hypertension.
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Background: The military spent $7.8 billion on medicine for active troops in fiscal year 2025, with the vast majority treating serious medical conditions.
Retired servicemembers and their families can also receive ED drugs from the Defense Health Agency, which is likely an even higher expense. It cost more than $84 million in 2014, but more recent data is not available.
That year, the government filled almost 1.2 million ED drug prescriptions for the more than 10 million people covered under military health insurance. The medication has been covered since 1998.
The military also spent $275 million on Ozempic and other weight loss drugs last year.
Summary: Troops should never be denied access to necessary medication, but the recent spike in Viagra spending is just one indicator of possible misspending.
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