Viagra Melanoma Cancer Lawyer
A Viagra melanoma cancer lawyer can help men who were diagnosed with skin cancer after taking the drug. Lawsuits allege a link between the widely prescribed erectile dysfunction medication and the development of melanoma, which is an invasive and often fatal form of skin cancer. Affected men and their families are seeking compensation for injuries and death with the help of bad drug attorneys.
For more information, contact Attorney Group today. Our consultations are free, confidential and without any obligation on your part. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a claim we can connect you with an affiliated Viagra melanoma cancer lawyer who can assist you throughout the legal process.
Have You Seen Viagra Melanoma Lawsuit Commercial?
You may have seen Viagra skin cancer lawsuit commercial on television and wondered whether you or a loved one have been affected by Viagra and, if so, whether you are eligible to pursue a claim against the manufacturer or others. The purpose of this article is to provide you with additional information so that you have a better understanding of your options.
What is Viagra?
Viagra, known generically as sildenafil, is a medication sold by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer and used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) in men. Viagra was accidentally found to induce erections after it was originally developed by scientists in Great Britain to treat high blood pressure and chest pain due to heart disease.
Viagra is a type of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor and works by inhibiting the breakdown of the enzymes that lead to ED, a medical condition in which a man cannot achieve an erection adequate enough for sexual activity.
In 1998, Viagra became the first medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of ED. Within a year, sales for the drug were over $1 billion. According to Everyday Health, since it’s introduction, the number of men diagnosed with ED has gone up 250 percent. Because of its effectiveness, Viagra is often used recreationally.
What are the Risks of Viagra?
Viagra has been reported to have both common and serious side effects.
Common side effects associated with Viagra include:
- Headache
- Flushing in the face, neck, or chest
- Upset stomach, indigestion
- Abnormal vision
- Nasal congestion
- Back pain
- Muscular pain or tenderness
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Rash
- Diarrhea
Some men also experience an allergic reaction to Viagra, including difficulty breathing and swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat.
Serious side effects associated with Viagra include:
- Change or loss of vision
- Ringing in ears or hearing loss
- Chest pain or irregular heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Lightheadedness
- Swelling in the hands, ankles, and feet
- Priapism, which is an erection that is painful or lasts more than four hours
Patients who experience an allergic reaction or serious side effects while taking Viagra are advised to stop taking the medication and seek medical attention immediately.
Viagra and Melanoma
In addition to the common and serious side effects linked to Viagra, studies suggest that men who have taken Viagra are more likely to develop melanoma than men who have not taken the drug. A failure to warn of this very serious risk is the basis for claims being pursued with the help of a Viagra melanoma cancer lawyer.
A study published in the JAMA Internal medicine sought to examine the use of Viagra and the development of melanoma in men in the United States. The study looked at nearly 26,000 men and found that sildenafil, which is the active ingredient in Viagra, may increase a man’s risk of developing melanoma by as much as 84 percent. The study began in 2000 when researchers interviewed participants about their use of Viagra, sexual health and their history of sun exposure and risk of genetic skin cancer, including history of moles and eye and hair color.
Over the next 10 years, researchers kept track of occurrences of different types of skin cancer, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma, based on answers to self-reported questionnaires.
Based on results of the study, researchers found 3,030 incidences of basal cell carcinoma, 580 of squamous cell carcinoma and 142 of melanoma, and concluded that men who used Viagra had a two-fold risk of developing melanoma. However, there did not appear to be a link between Viagra and a higher risk for developing other types of skin cancers.
Additionally, researchers did not find any evidence that suffering from erectile dysfunction would increase a man’s risk of melanoma. While the findings raise concerns about the safety of Viagra, researchers stated that their findings do not necessarily prove that the medication causes skin cancer, just that there is a link between the two.
Viagra melanoma cancer lawsuits claim that “despite these significant findings, [Pfizer] has made no efforts in its Viagra advertisements to warn users about the potential risk of developing melanoma that has been scientifically linked to its drug.”
ÍLauren A. on May 16, 2016
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Has There Been a Viagra Recall?
There has not been a Viagra recall as of February 2017. In 2005, the FDA approved updating labeling for Viagra and other medications that treat erectile dysfunction, to include sudden vision loss, attributed to non-arthritic ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) as a side effect. NAION is a condition in which blood flow is blocked to the optic nerve.
Two years later, the FDA ordered another revision of the labels to include the potential of the prescription medications to cause sudden hearing loss.
Although there has not been a Viagra recall, people pursuing claims with the help of a Viagra melanoma cancer lawyer allege that the drug makers failed to disclose known side effects of the drug and that patients suffered damages as a result. Failure to warn of side effects of a drug can be a basis of drug company liability, regardless of whether the drug has been recalled.
Is There Viagra Melanoma Class Action?
There is no Viagra melanoma class action pending as of February 2017. Viagra melanoma lawsuit attorneys are doubtful that a class action will be certified for patients who are adversely affected by the drug. Instead, if multiple Viagra cancer lawsuits are filed against the drug maker alleging injuries and other damages caused by the drugs, it is anticipated that these lawsuits will be consolidated for discovery and other pretrial proceedings.
When cases are consolidated in this way in federal court it is called multidistrict litigation (MDL), and on a state level it is known as a state court consolidated proceeding. MDLs are distinct from class actions, and it is generally agreed that consolidating cases instead of proceeding in a class action is a more efficient and effective way of handling claims arising from injuries caused by pharmaceutical products.
Have There Been Viagra Melanoma Lawsuit Settlements?
There are no known settlements of Viagra melanoma cancer lawsuits as of February 2017. Some cases settle early in the claims process, but it is not expected that there will be early Viagra melanoma settlements.
In most cases that proceed in an MDL or state court consolidated proceedings, after a certain period of time initial trials, also known as bellwether trials, take place. The purpose of these trials is for the parties to get an idea of the types of evidence and arguments that will made, as well as to see how juries will respond to the evidence and arguments. After a certain number of cases have been tried, the parties are in a better position to determine whether a case can be settled.
It is expected that Viagra melanoma cancer settlements will follow this pattern, although the outcome of any case is never guaranteed and past results are not necessarily predictive of future outcomes. Speak to a Viagra melanoma cancer lawyer for more information.
Viagra Skin Cancer Lawsuit Case Update
- April 2016The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation issues transfer order, centralizing Viagra lawsuits into the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
- December 2015Court filings call for a consolidation of pending Viagra melanoma cancer lawsuits into a federal MDL.
- April 2015One of a number of complaints alleging that Viagra-caused melanoma is filed against Pfizer by the widow of a decease man who took the drug
- April 2014Studies are released suggesting a link between Viagra and the development of melanoma, which results showing that men who took the drug may be up to 84% more likely to develop the disease.
- 2005The Viagra label is updated to reflect serious side effects involving sudden vision or hearing loss.
- 1999Viagra sales top $1 billion.
- 1998Viagra is approved for sale as a treatment for ED.
How a Viagra Melanoma Cancer Lawyer Can Help
Drug makers have a duty to provide safe products. If there are risks of harm associated with their products, they also must provide adequate warnings. If a drug maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
People injured by bad drugs may be eligible to recover money for:
- Medical Expenses
- Lost Wages
- Pain and Suffering
The families of those who have died may be eligible to recover money for funeral expenses and the pain that comes with losing a loved one.
