In a first for the pharmaceutical industry, Pfizer Inc. announced that it would sell Viagra directly to patients through its website.

Although patients will still need a prescription for the medication, they'll be saved the often embarrassing trouble of picking up the pills in person. Other drugmakers are sure to watch how this experiment goes.

Notably, there has been great competition in the marketplace for Viagra and generics. The drug has been sold through unreputable online pharmacies via emails, leaving many buyers unaware if the medication contains any of Viagra's active ingredients. Currently patented, Viagra has no generics as Pfizer holds legal exclusivity to the drug until 2020.

Pfizer Inc. hopes to wean people off of the illegitimate and possibly harmful online pharmacies and into ordering the medication off of their website Viagra.com. The orders will be fulfilled by CVS Pharmacy and will require a prescription from a doctor. Insurance information will also need to be filled out, and the medication will be delivered by standard mail.

"Through our ongoing analyses, we've seen how fake pharmacy websites can lure consumers into buying counterfeit medicines with what seems to be an easy purchasing experience, but it may be putting their health at risk," said Carmen Catizone, executive director of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP).

Illegitimate online pharmacies source their drugs from factories that are not inspected by a governmental organization and medications may not even contain the medication that they advertise. Even if they do contain the right medication, the dosage may be completely unregulated.

"Counterfeit medicines often contain the wrong or incorrect levels of active ingredient, as well as potentially dangerous contaminants. Samples of counterfeit Viagra tested by our labs have contained pesticides, wallboard, commercial paint and printer ink," said Matthew Bassiur, vice president of Pfizer Global Security. "These findings motivate us to continue our aggressive global efforts to stop those who prey on unsuspecting patients."

A 2011 study, in which Pfizer bought "Viagra" from 22 popular Internet pharmacies and tested the pills, found 77 percent were counterfeit. Most had half or less of the promised level of the active ingredient.

"We're pleased to see companies collaborating to develop and support solutions that will help patients obtain legitimate prescription medications online," said Catizone.

Although real Viagra is expensive, $25 a pill, Pfizer is offering three free pills with the first order and 30 percent off of the second order.

This is a radical change to how medications are distributed and may offer a legal and trustworthy way to purchase and fill prescriptions online.

"If it works, everybody will hop on the train," said Les Funtleyder, a health care strategist at private equity fund Poliwogg told the Associated Press. He believes Pfizer's site will attract "fence-sitters" who are nervous about buying online.