A Viagra lawsuit has been filed by a Kentucky resident who claims the erectile dysfunction medication caused him to develop melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

Plaintiff Howard H. alleges he took the medication for years before noticing a suspicious lesion on his nose. A biopsy confirmed it was melanoma. The plaintiff then had to undergo surgery to remove the skin cancer leaving him permanently scarred.

The lawsuit claims that the drug manufacturer Pfizer knew of the danger of developing Viagra melanoma as a side effect but failed to warn consumers. Howard alleges Pfizer “purposefully downplayed, understated and outright ignored the melanoma-related health hazards and risks associated with using Viagra.” He further claims that had he known of the skin cancer risks he would have not taken the ED medication.

In the United States, an estimated 30 million men suffer from erectile dysfunction and receive a Viagra prescription nearly 50 percent of the time.

The Viagra Melanoma Lawsuit is Case No. 1:15-cv-02651-PKC, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Viagra Linked to Melanoma Skin Cancer

Viagra was FDA approved in 1998 to be used by men unable to get or maintain an erection. Viagra was designed by Pfizer to relax smooth muscle cells which allows the arteries in the penis to dilate which in turn allows blood to flow more easily. However, researchers have found a link between the ED medication and developing melanoma, which claims 10,000 lives in the United States each year.

Several studies have shown a significant increase risk of developing melanoma in Viagra patients. In 2014, the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) studied nearly 26,000 individuals and concluded that those who used Viagra had a 84 percent greater risk of developing skin cancer.

Another study found that since Viagra mimics gene activation it is possible that the ED medication generates the creation of melanoma cells. Despite research findings, Pfizer does not warn consumers of the skin cancer risks involved with taking the medication.

Howard alleges Pfizer knew, or should have known, of the Viagra melanoma risks yet aggressively marketed the product without adequate skin cancer warnings.

Skin Cancer Symptoms

When it comes to skin cancer, early detection is key to a better survival rate. Early stages of melanoma show signs of moles that itch or feel painful.

Later stages of melanoma skin cancer can result in lesions from 1 millimeter to more than 4 millimeters thick and eventually the skin cancer can spreads to lymph nodes or internal organs. An estimated 76,000 new cases of melanoma were diagnosed in the United States in the last year alone.

This Viagra lawsuit claims the plaintiff will have to constantly monitor his skin for signs of skin cancer, which is something that allegedly could have been avoided if Pfizer had disclosed the actual risks involved.