Eli Lilly and Company is facing a growing multidistrict litigation (MDL) consisting of claims from patients alleging they developed Cialis cancer.

One of the most recent product liability claims comes from an Alabama man, alleging he developed Cialis cancer and that the company failed to warn him against this possibility. Plaintiff Charles R. is filing this Cialis cancer lawsuit arguing that the erectile dysfunction medication caused him to develop melanoma.

Melanoma is the deadliest and most aggressive kind of skin cancer a patient can develop, and has been linked to erectile dysfunction drugs like Cialis and Viagra. According to the Cialis cancer lawsuit, Charles R. had been prescribed the medication for typical treatment purposes in January 2008.

Cialis is typically prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction in adult male patients. It works by increasing the level of blood flow into the penis to help maintain an erection. Cialis is thought to work by relaxing the smooth muscle in the prostate and bladder, which also helps with any urination problems.

During the course of his prescription, Charles had taken Cialis under strict prescription instructions and physician’s advice. However, towards the end of his prescription, Charles was diagnosed with melanoma on March 15, 2016.

His doctor eventually ended his Cialis prescription in December 2016, but Charles later discovered the medication may have caused him to develop melanoma.

Overview of Cialis Cancer Correlation

Recent scientific inquiry has linked erectile dysfunction drug Viagra (sildenafil) to an increased risk of melanoma, with researchers worried that Cialis (tadafil) and Levitra (vardenafil) may carry the same risk. In particular, an April 2014 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine had found that men who were prescribed Viagra faced an 84% increased risk of melanoma.

Researchers from Harvard School of Public Health analyzed 26,000 men who were prescribed Viagra between 2000 and 2010. During the course of the study, over 3,500 cases of Viagra skin cancer had been found including 142 cases of melanoma, 580 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, and 3,030 cases of basal cell carcinoma.

While Cialis and Levitra were not included in the study, scientists are worried they carry the same risk because of they have the same biochemical nature as Viagra. Furthermore, researchers were worried that Cialis and Levitra carried a greater risk for melanoma because they take longer for the body to metabolize.

The authors of the Viagra skin cancer study stated the findings did not prove that these erectile dysfunction drugs caused melanoma, but further research needed to be done. According to plaintiffs like Charles, even though Eli Lilly and Company was aware of the potential risk of Cialis cancer, the company allegedly failed to adequately warn the public.

Charles has since been contending with melanoma and alleges Eli Lilly and Company either knew or should have known about the potential for Cialis cancer. Charles’ Cialis cancer lawsuit is joining MDL No. 2691, where it will stand alongside other claims alleging similar injuries.

By joining an MDL, Charles’ claim will be streamlined through the litigation process and will avoid potential problems like conflicting rulings from different judges. Charles is alleging multiple counts of negligence and failure to warn and is seeking compensation for all medical expenses.

This Cialis Cancer Lawsuit is Case No. 3:18-cv-01325-RS, in the U.S. District Court of Northern California, San Francisco Division.