title: Ethical aspects of sexual medicine. Internet, vibrators, and other sex aids: toys or therapeutic instruments?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sexual health is the result of a complex interplay between social, relational, intrapsychic, and medical aspects. Sexual health care professionals (SHCP) may face several ethical issues. Some SHCP prescribe Internet pornography for both diagnosis and therapy and some others directly sell vibrators and sex aids in their offices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five scientists, with different perspectives, debate the ethical aspects in the clinical practice of the SHCP.
  
  
  METHODS
  To give to the Journal of Sexual Medicine's reader enough data to form her/his own opinion on an important ethical topic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expert #1, who is Controversy's Section Editor, together with two coworkers, expert psycho-sexologists, reviews data from literature regarding the use of the Internet in the SHCP. Expert #2 argues that licensed professionals, who treat sexual problems, should not sell sexual aids such as vibrators, lubricants, erotica, and instructional DVDs to their clients. On the other hand, Expert #3 is in favor of the possibility, for the patient, to directly purchase sexual aids from the SHCP in order to avoid embarrassment, confusion, and non-adherence to treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Evidence and intelligence would suggest that both the Internet (in selected subjects) and the vibrators (in the correct clinical setting), with the due efforts in counseling the patients and tailoring their therapy, are not-harmful, excellent tools in promoting sexual health.
authors.affiliation: School of Sexology, Course of Medical Sexology, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy. emmanuele.jannini@univaq.it
authors.forename: Emmanuele A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Jannini
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Limoncin
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciocca
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buehler
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krychman
mesh_terms: D003132:Commerce / Q000941:ethics*; D004882:Erotica; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D054327:Lubricants; D060728:Reproductive Health / Q000941:ethics*; D012725:Sexual Behavior
chemical_list: D054327:Lubricants