Erectile dysfunction medication Viagra and its twin drug Revatio, prescribed for a high-blood-pressure condition known as pulmonary arterial hypertension, have been prescribed to millions of men.
However, a higher risk of developing melanoma (the malignant tumor associated with skin cancer) is being linked with these common oral medications. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with melanoma after taking Viagra or Revatio, you may have a case.
Links Between Viagra & Melanoma
- The generic name for Viagra and Revatio is sildenafil citrate.
- Sildenafil works as a PDE-5A inhibitor.
- Enzymes that would otherwise signal a decrease in blood flow in certain areas are blocked by sildenafil.
- Researchers believe that sildenafil’s inhibition of the phosphodiesterase PDE5A has been linked to a melanoma cell increase.
Allegations against Pfizer Inc.
Plaintiffs around the country have now alleged that the Viagra manufacturer Pfizer Inc. failed to warn the public despite being aware of the increased risk of skin cancer including melanoma.
What Studies are Showing
The most conclusive study “Sildenafil Use and Increased Risk of Incident Melanoma in U.S. Men,” published in a 2014 Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), found that men under treatment with sildenafil for erectile dysfunctions were almost twice as likely to develop melanoma—even after accounting for factors such as UV index in the state of residence, family history of melanoma and sun exposure behavior.
What Should I Do Next?
At Whitley Law Firm, our defective drug attorneys believe in the importance of holding large pharmaceutical companies accountable when their products cause undue illness, injury or even wrongful death.
If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with melanoma after taking Viagra or Revatio, contact our law firm as soon as you can. We serve people all over North Carolina, and it does not cost anything to see if you have a case.
