WARNING: Viagra (sildenafil) has been linked to an increased risk for melanoma, a deadly skin cancer. Because studies have shown that Viagra use can double the risk for melanoma, and Pfizer, the company that holds the Viagra patent, has failed time and again to warn patients of this risk, a great number of Viagra melanoma lawsuits are currently being filed.
If you or a loved one used Viagra and were diagnosed with melanoma, please feel free to contact our team of Viagra attorneys at Justinian PLLC for a free, no-obligation Viagra lawsuit consultation.
(855) 452-5529
Journal of the American Medical Association: Viagra Linked to Melanoma
As we note in an article detailing the link between Viagra and melanoma, research published in a 2014 edition of Journal of the American Medical Association titled “Sildenafil Use and Increased Risk of Incident Melanoma in US Men: A Prospective Cohort Study.” studied about 26,000 men and determined that “the [hazard ratio for] melanoma was 2.24 [with] sildenafil use,” finding that men who had ever used Viagra were found to be 2.24 times as likely to suffer melanoma as control subjects who did not use the drug. Our Viagra melanoma lawyers are prepared to help these victims seek justice.
What is Melanoma?
Melanoma is a type of cancer affecting cells that produce melanin, which is a pigment that gives our skin, hair, and eyes color. Most of the time, melanoma forms in the skin, but occasionally it forms in the eyes or on an internal organ.
According to the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, melanoma is “the most serious type of skin cancer. Often the first sign of melanoma is a change in the size, shape, color, or feel of a mole. Most melanomas have a black or black-blue area. Melanoma may also appear as a new mole. It may be black, abnormal, or ‘ugly looking.’”
“Thinking of ‘ABCDE’ can help you remember what to watch for:
Asymmetry – the shape of one half does not match the other
Border – the edges are ragged, blurred or irregular
Color – the color is uneven and may include shades of black, brown and tan
Diameter – there is a change in size, usually an increase
Evolving – the mole has changed over the past few weeks or months
Surgery is the first treatment of all stages of melanoma. Other treatments include chemotherapy and radiation, biologic, and targeted therapies. Biologic therapy boosts your body’s own ability to fight cancer. Targeted therapy uses substances that attack cancer cells without harming normal cells.”
A great deal more helpful information on melanoma and other skin cancers can be found here, at the National Cancer Institute. You may also consult with one of our Viagra melanoma attorneys at Justinian PLLC at your convenience, either by phone or email.
(855) 452-5529
justinian@justinianpllc.com
How Does Viagra Work?
Today, there are a number of drugs prescribed for erectile dysfunction, and many of them work in the same basic way. As explained by eMedicineHealth, “Viagra works by blocking an enzyme found mainly in the penis that breaks down chemicals produced during sexual stimulation that normally produce erections. Viagra allows these chemicals of arousal to survive longer and improves erectile function. That is also why sexual stimulation is necessary for Viagra to work.
In general, Viagra works successfully in about 65-70% of all impotent men.”
Viagra Safety Information Does Not Warn for Melanoma
Unfortunately, Viagra melanoma lawyers have found that the Viagra Safety Information does not provide warning regarding the increased risk for melanoma linked to sildenafil use. The label even goes so far as to report the contrary:
“Sildenafil was not carcinogenic when administered to rats for 24 months at a dose resulting in total systemic drug exposure (AUCs) for unbound sildenafil […] of 29- and 42- times, for male and female rats, respectively, the exposures observed in human males given the Maximum Recommended Human Dose (MRHD) of 100 mg. Sildenafil was not carcinogenic when administered to mice for 18–21 months at dosages up to the Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) of 10 mg/kg/day, approximately 0.6 times the MRHD on a mg/m2 basis.”
There are no other mentions of “carcinogen” other than in this section, and the word “melanoma” is entirely absent. “Cancer” is absent, and “skin” only appears briefly with no connection to cancer.
Viagra Melanoma Lawsuits
Due to the fact that the manufacturer of Viagra continues to mislead the public as to the safety of its drug and has repeatedly failed to warn consumers of the link between Viagra and melanoma, Viagra melanoma lawsuits are currently being filed around the country. If you or a loved one used Viagra and had a melanoma diagnosis, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation through a Viagra melanoma lawsuit.
For a free, no-obligation case consultation, contact our team of Viagra melanoma lawyers at the information provided below. We have the compassion, resources, and experience required to fight for the compensation you deserve. Call now and see how we can help.
(855) 452-5529
justinian@dangerousdrugs.us