A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against Eli Lilly, alleging that there is a Cialis and melanoma linkendangering users.

Plaintiff Lee Jan W. recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Benny D. who allegedly died due to melanoma after taking Cialis.

In 2003, the FDA approved Cialis as a drug to treat erectile dysfunction. Cialis works by controlling enzymes that may inhibit blood flow and cause erectile dysfunction. The drug inhibits their release, permitting an increased flow of blood. With drugs like Cialis, men affected by erectile dysfunction are able to have sexual relations with their partner.

Although many assume that erectile dysfunction is a problem only affecting older men, the National Institutes of Health estimates that as many as 30 million men in the United States are affected by the condition.

In 2012, Cialis was the second largest drug in the world prescribed for erectile dysfunction and made nearly $2 billion in revenue. In 2013, Cialis experienced a twelve percent increase in sales with a revenue, exceeding $2.1 billion. The drug is incredibly popular and a huge asset for the drug maker, Eli Lilly.

The Cialis and melanoma link lawsuit alleges that Benny used Cialis from July 2007 to March 2010 and was diagnosed with melanoma in October 2010. He died six years later, in October 2016. Lee Jan argues that Benny’s death was a direct result of his use of Cialis, proving evidence for the Cialis and melanoma link.

According to the National Cancer Institute, melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. Melanoma is more likely to spread to other parts of the body than other skin cancers, complicating treatment options. Melanoma needs to be caught early so it does not spread to places in the body which made the cancer unmanageable and possibly fatal.

According to the Cialis lawsuit, there is a Cialis and melanoma link which causes Cialis users to develop melanoma. Several studies have found that the inhibiting mechanisms in Cialis encourage the creation of melanocytes which can develop into melanoma. Since 2011, there have been five major studied published which provide evidence for the Cialis and melanoma link, according to Lee Jan.

The lawsuit argues that Eli Lilly purposefully concealed the evidence of the Cialis and melanoma link so they would not jeopardize their profits.

“Eli Lilly did not disclose the risk of melanoma associated with Cialis, but rather concealed this risk and therefore the Plaintiffs did not, and could not through the exercise of reasonable diligence, have discovered that Cialis caused their injuries at the time they were diagnosed with melanoma,” the lawsuit states.

Lee Jan accuses Eli Lilly of negligence, gross negligence, unfair and deceptive trade practices (unfairness, fraud, and unlawfulness), strict liability (defective design and failure to warn), failure to test, breach of warranty, fraudulent misrepresentation, negligent misrepresentation, concealment, fraud and deceit, and unjust enrichment.

The Cialis Lawsuit is Case No. 3:18-cv-01774-RS and is part of the Viagra and Cialis MDL, In re: Viagra (sildenafil citrate) and Cialis (tadalafil) Products Liability Litigation, Case No. 3:16-md-02691-RS, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.