As the number of Viagra melanoma lawsuits increase, product liability lawyers are suiting up for the upcoming legal battle. At this time, America will gain further insight into the possible correlation between the top erectile dysfunction drug and the most dangerous form of skin cancer.

The pressure for Viagra lawyers is mounting to prove that ED drugs like Viagra, Cialis and Levitra increase the risk of melanoma skin cancer, a potential link that was published earlier this year in the June 2014 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine.

The study showed a correlation between Viagra use and melanoma but did not definitively link the drug to the deadly form of skin cancer, a hurdle that product liability lawyers will have to overcome and prove in court.

Some lawyers state that this study was based on self-reported information from the patient pool and failed to adequately evaluate cause and effect. While the Viagra melanoma study made a strong contribution to the scientific community, medical experts state that these numbers do not prove Viagra causes melanoma, and that further studies are needed.

This has not stopped men from using the Viagra melanoma study as evidence in product liability lawsuits against the manufacturer of Viagra, stating that their melanoma diagnoses could have been avoided if they knew that Viagra could increase the risk of skin cancer. The results of the Viagra melanoma study indicate that men who use Viagra may have up to an 84% higher chance of developing skin cancer.

However, both legal and medical experts point out this study was limited in several areas of scientific research and agree that further research is needed. Essentially, nothing was proven from this extensive study despite analyzing 26,000 Viagra users and collecting a handful of melanoma cases. Only six percent of the patient population had developed melanoma, along with a number of lesser skin cancer cases.

The study authors are highly esteemed medical experts from Harvard, Brown, and other elite universities or medical institutes. They agree that it is too early to tell if Viagra and other erectile dysfunction drugs like Levitra and Cialis cause skin cancer, and do not advise men to stop taking Viagra.

Several law firms have confirmed that they will continue to carefully analyze potential Viagra melanoma lawsuit and are expecting the number of valid cases to increase soon. For example, the U.S. District of Eastern District of New York expects to see several Viagra lawsuits to head to court, and were focusing on long-term users of Viagra who allegedly developed melanoma as a result. Plaintiffs who took steps to prevent sunburn are also being reviewed, because they had taken definite precautionary measures against skin cancer.

Overview of Viagra Melanoma Opposition

On the defense side, Pfizer argues that patients who developed melanoma had a history of several other health problems. Beyond the lack of evidence from the study, medical experts are unsure to why this Viagra side effect may be occurring, leading Pfizer to argue that it was an unfortunate coincidence or may have developed from an unrelated ailment.

Additionally, Pfizer representatives claim there have been no prior complaints of Viagra melanoma until this study was released.

Currently, Viagra’s label does not include melanoma as a Viagra side effect and Pfizer has not indicated that it will be updated anytime soon. Pfizer maintains that it is committed to the safety of its consumers, and monitors each of their products directly or from secondary sources; each adverse effect report is evaluated and carefully considered.

he JAMA study is likely to be repeatedly mentioned during the Viagra melanoma litigation, with the authors of the study likely to be called as expert witnesses. Along with product liability melanoma allegations, Pfizer’s lawyers also expect the plaintiffs to file false advertising claims.

Attorneys from both sides of the battle state that the number of valid Viagra melanoma lawsuits will depend on if the plaintiffs’ scientific evidence matches their claims.