Patients who have developed melanoma while taking Viagra, Pfizer’s erectile dysfunction drug, may be eligible to bring a lawsuit against the pharmaceutical manufacturer.

Lawsuits against the company will likely allege that Pfizer failed to warn consumers about serious risks of developing melanoma cancer while taking the medication.

What is Viagra?

Viagra is one of the of the most popular erectile dysfunction medications on the market.  Viagra was first released on the market in 1998.  Since then the Viagra has made billions of dollars in sales.  Viagra is generically known as sildenafil.

Side Effects of Viagra

In 2005 Pfizer faced several lawsuits due to the company’s failure to warn men about side effects of Viagra which include risks of heart attacks, strokes and vision loss.

Pfizer may soon be dealing with another round of lawsuits due to consumers who have developed melanoma skin cancer.

According to a 2014 study sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, may double the risk of developing melanoma skin cancer. The 2014 study was published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.  According to the study researchers looked at medical records of 28,000 people over a 10-year span.

During that 10-year time period over 3,500 men were diagnosed with Viagra-related skin cancer.  Of those 3,500 cases, 142 were melanoma.

According to the study these numbers showed that men using Viagra were 84% more likely to develop melanoma skin cancer than those who were not taking the erectile dysfunction medication.

During the study the researchers took into account various melanoma risk factors which include history of skin cancer, hair color, mole count and ultraviolet light exposure.

What is Melanoma Skin Cancer?

Cancer develops in the body when cells begin to grow at an abnormal rate.  Melanoma cancer cells begin in the skin cells known as melanocytes.  Melanin protects the skin from the sun and creates brown pigment.

Because of this, melanoma skin cancer often develops as a brown or black mole.  It’s important to note that not all melanomas make melanin and some of the cancerous moles appear pink, tan or white.

Although melanoma can develop on any surface of the body some spots are more likely to develop tumors than others. These areas are usually the areas most often exposed to the sun’s rays.  Common tumor areas include legs, face and neck.

While melanoma is a rare form of skin cancer it is often the most dangerous.  This is because melanomas are often discovered in their later stages when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

If caught earlier melanoma is often curable.

Viagra Melanoma Lawsuits

Side effects of Viagra
have caused patients to suffer serious injuries.  People who bring successful lawsuits after suffering side effects of Viagra may receive compensation for their injuries and past medical bills.

Costs of treating melanoma can be very expensive and settlements and awards from Viagra lawsuits can help patients pay off the financial burden.

In some cases, plaintiffs may be awarded punitive damages.  Punitive damages are meant to punish the defendant for their actions and serve as reminder that companies cannot disregard the rights and safety of consumers for profit.