Melanoma Lawsuits Filed Over Viagra Skin Cancer Side Effects

Pfizer continues to face a growing number of Viagra melanoma lawsuits, alleging that the drug maker failed to adequately warn users and the medical community about the potential skin cancer risk associated with their popular erectile dysfunction drug.

Late last week, at least two new cases were filed on behalf of former users who claim that they developed melanoma due to side effects of Viagra. Plaintiffs allege that Pfizer knew or should have known about the risk associated with their medication for years, which makes the drug unreasonably dangerous for consumers.

In a complaint (PDF) filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on October 24, Amador Herrara indicates that he was diagnosed with melanoma after using the medication for years.

Herrara was prescribed Viagra in 2007 for erectile dysfunction, and continued using the medication until March 2014. In about May 2012, his dermatologist noticed a large variegated macule over 2 cm in size on his right shoulder. A number of tests later determined that it was melanoma, a serious and potentially life-threatening form of skin cancer.

As a result of the diagnosis, Herrara has required a number of surgeries and indicates that he must remain vigilant for the rest of his life for the reappearance of the deadly skin cancer. However, it was not until nearly two years later, when studies began to be published linking the Viagra and melanoma, that he realized it was his use of the erectile dysfunction drug that likely lead to the development of skin cancer.

“Pfizer purposefully downplayed, understated and outright ignored the melanoma-related health hazards and risks associated with using Viagra,” the lawsuit states. “Pfizer also deceived potential Viagra users by relaying positive information through the press, including testimonials from retired, popular U.S. politicians, while downplaying known adverse and serious health effects. ”

A similar complaint (PDF) was filed the same day by Dennis Andrews, who indicates he detected a skin lesion on his leg in July 2013, after starting use of Viagra in January 2009. Following a biopsy, it was determined to be malignant melanoma, which has resulted in the need for a number of surgeries and skin grafts for the areas where the melanoma was removed. Andrews raises nearly identical allegations against Pfizer, also alleging that he now must carefully monitor for signs of the skin cancer’s return.

Viagra Melanoma Side Effects

Viagra (sildenafil citrate) was introduced by Pfizer in 1998, and it has become one of the most widely recognized brand-name medications on the market in the United States, used by millions of men to treat impotence and sexual dysfunction, including the inability to develop or maintain an erection.

Since its approval in 1998, Viagra has been prescribed to an estimated 35 million men, and is generally considered safe by most consumers. However, recent studies suggest that the medication may reduced the body’s ability to resist the spread of melanoma.

As early as 2011 a study was published in the medical journal Cancer Cell which warned that Viagra could promote melanoma cell invasion.

Another study published in the Journal of Cell Biochemistry in 2012 also found that PDE5 inhibitors like Viagra could exacerbate melanoma development.

Public attention was not brought to the skin cancer risks from Viagra until a study published last year in the medical journal JAMA Internal Medicine. Researchers from Harvard Medical School found that men who took Viagra were 84% more likely to be diagnosed with melanoma than men who do not use the drug.

The American Cancer Society indicates that melanoma is diagnosed in about 69,000 Americans each year and causes about 8,650 deaths annually. The skin cancer usually manifests as unusual moles or patches of skin. While it is often curable if caught early, once melanoma has spread beyond the skin and local lymph nodes, treatment is difficult and it may ultimately result in death.