Clomipramine and Premature Ejaculation

There are a number of situations where a healthcare provider may prescribe clomipramine, and premature ejaculation is one of them. Premature ejaculation can be treated with clomipramine because the medication has been known to cause delayed ejaculation in men. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved clomipramine to treat sexual problems, a healthcare provider may still prescribe the medication "off-label" to treat premature ejaculation.

 

Clomipramine and Premature Ejaculation: An Overview

Clomipramine hydrochloride (Anafranil®) is a prescription medicine used for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, clomipramine is sometimes used to treat premature ejaculation, although it is not approved for this use. This is known as an "off-label" use.
 

How Does Clomipramine Work for Premature Ejaculation?

It is not entirely clear how clomipramine works for premature ejaculation. Premature ejaculation occurs when a man uncontrollably ejaculates too soon (either before or just after sexual penetration). As with other similar antidepressants, clomipramine is known to cause sexual side effects, including delayed ejaculation. While these side effects are usually undesired, in cases where men experience premature ejaculation, clomipramine can help to delay their ejaculation.
 
Although clomipramine is not approved for use in treating premature ejaculation, a healthcare provider may still prescribe the medication for this use. This is considered an off-label use. An off-label use means that a prescription medicine is used to treat a disease or condition other than what it has been approved to treat by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
 
Although the FDA regulates how a medication can be advertised or promoted by the manufacturer, these regulations do not restrict a healthcare provider's ability to prescribe the medication for different conditions, in different doses, or for different lengths of time. Your healthcare provider will prescribe a medicine for off-label use when he or she feels that the medicine is appropriate for your situation.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;