Gov. George Pataki yesterday issued a temporary ban on all publicly funded erectile dysfunction drugs after the discovery that convicted sex offenders were receiving the medication. Pataki asked the state Health and Insurance departments to discontinue paying for drugs such as Viagra until he proposes legislation that would allow the state to cross-reference sex offender lists with taxpayer-funded health databases.

"I urge the Legislature to act quickly on this legislation that will allow us to put a targeted ban in place that will prevent sex offenders from receiving these drugs at taxpayer expense," the governor said in a statement.

Pataki's move came in response to state Comptroller Alan Hevesi, who on Sunday said his office had found that 198 convicted level 3 sex offenders - the most serious sexual culprits - were receiving erectile dysfunction drugs...