A Viagra skin cancer attorney 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 a Viagra cancer lawsuit attorney.
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 skin cancer attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What is Viagra?
Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1998, Viagra was the first medication to be marketed specifically for erectile dysfunction. Manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, the drug also has a generic equivalent known as Sildenafil. It was originally formulated as a solution for cardiovascular disease and hypertension, but over time, medical researchers noticed it had the ability to produce erections. The popular medical publication Everyday Health has reported a 250 percent increase in the number of men diagnosed with erectile dysfunction since Viagra’s inception in 1998.
Viagra and Melanoma
According to information from the Mayo Clinic, several different forms of skin cancer exist. Melanoma, the most severe of these forms, can develop from several factors. People who are exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays on a regular basis have a higher risk of getting melanoma, especially if they have had sunburns that resulted in blistering. Skin color also plays a role. Darker people develop the cancer less often than people with lighter hair color, light colored eyes or fair skin. This is because people with this coloring have less protection from UV rays due to the lack of pigment.
Individuals who develop melanoma may be required to seek the following types of treatment:
- Chemotherapy
- Biopsy
- Radiation therapy
- Removal of lymph nodes
- Biological therapy
All of these treatments are extremely expensive and painful, and they carry high risks of complications. If these treatments do not work, the risk of mortality will greatly increase.
Viagra Melanoma
Viagra has been established as one of the most effective and well-recognized treatments for erectile dysfunction in the country. Unfortunately, there have been studies linking Viagra, and its generic equivalent, to the formation of skin cancer. One such study was reported on by the National Center of Biotechnology Information. Originally started in 2000, researchers questioned nearly 26,000 men about their use of Sildenafil or Viagra. These questions also required the participants to reveal details about following topics.
- Sexual health
- Prescribed use of the drug
- History of sun exposure
- Eye and hair color
- History of mole formation
- Genetic risk of skin cancer development
After accumulating the data, the researchers observed the participants for the next decade, looking to find incidences of melanoma or other skin cancers. Over time, they discovered that there were almost 3,030 instances of basal cell carcinoma, 580 of squamous cell carcinoma and 142 of melanoma. The study concluded that men who used Viagra developed cancer at twice the rate of those who do not take the drug.
Viagra Melanoma Lawsuit
Despite these findings, the FDA has not yet issued a warning in regards to the connection between Viagra use and the formation of skin cancer. However, the FDA has required the manufacturers of Viagra to warn users about other side effects of the drug. Among these side effects are hearing and vision loss.
Two Alabama men claim Viagra, the drug they used to treat their erectile dysfunction, also caused their skin cancer according to separate federal lawsuits filed in 2015. Viagra manufacturer Pfizer denies the claims. The lawsuits are among a growing number being filed in federal and state courts around the nation making the claim, based on research reports that their melanoma came from use of Viagra.
How A Viagra Skin Cancer Attorney Can Help
Drug manufacturers have a duty to ensure their products are accompanied by full and accurate instructions and warnings to guide prescribing doctors and other health care providers in making treatment decisions. If a drug maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
Patients who are injured by Viagra may be entitled to compensation for damages, including:
- Medical expenses
- The permanency of the injury
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
- Loss of income or ability to work
If a patient dies from complications after taking Viagra, family members may be entitled to compensation for the wrongful death of their loved one, including:
- Conscious pain and suffering of a loved one prior to death
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish from the loss of a loved one
- Funeral expenses
Patients who have suffered severe side effects after taking Viagra, as well as the families of those who have died as a result of complications with the drug, are encouraged to seek the advice of an Viagra skin cancer attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
The time you have to pursue a claim is limited. Contact us for more information.Get Help Now.
For more information, contact Attorney Group. You can fill out the form on this page, call us at the number listed at the top of the page, or email us at info@attorneygroup.com.
When you contact us, an attorney will follow up with you to speak with you about your case or answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
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