Under a nationwide scheme launched on Friday by Alliance Boots, the country's biggest pharmacy chain, men in Britain will be able to buy Viagra from their pharmacist instead of a doctor.

Following on the footsteps of a successful pilot programme in Manchester the new scheme enables men to be able to get the prescription-only medicine directly from pharmacists although they must still be registered with a doctor and be agreeable to the doctor being informed.

288 patients were referred to their doctor during the Manchester pilot, after tests carried out as part of the consultation revealed abnormal glucose, cholesterol or blood pressure levels.

Men found it embarrassing to discuss the problem with their GP and this led to the pill being made available at pharmacies but at a price. The service will be available in a private consultation room in 29 stores in England and will cost £55 ($90.20) for the initial screening and four tablets and pay £26.59 for four additional tablets.

Under the scheme men will get a half-hour consultation to assess the causes of their erectile dysfunction after which pharmacists will be able to give them a course of the prescription-only drugs.

This involves chemists conducting a pre-screening questionnaire, take a medical history and conduct blood tests, including checking men's glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, to rule out a more serious health problem.

Boots believes there is a substantial demand for erectile dysfunction treatment as the condition affects one in 10 British men but it is estimated only around 10 percent of them are currently being treated. Research by Boots has indicated that 47 % men would prefer to suffer in silence.

Pharmacist James Longden said: "Sometimes it can be a bit of an embarrassing subject to talk about, and many didn't know where to turn to for help."

Boots Medical Director Graham Marshall said pharmacists would be alert to any warning signs as impotence can be a marker for a more serious underlying medical condition.

Boots hopes to extend the service later to shops in Scotland.