After almost 20 years on the market, Viagra’s patent will end. This will open the door to many competitors making their own version of the legendary blue pill. To get ahead of competitors, Pfizer will launch a generic Viagra. This version of the pill will be half the price of its predecessor. With this new generic and other companies’ versions of the erectile dysfunction drug hitting the market, how many more men will be exposed to the dangerous side effects tied to the drug like melanoma?
About Viagra
Doctors prescribed Viagra to treat erectile dysfunction, commonly called ED, since 1998. In 2011, manufacturer Pfizer said that doctors prescribed the drug to more than 35 million men worldwide.
Despite achieving wide popularity, Viagra has had its fair share of problems. Serious side effects and health risks have surfaced over the years, and now a study published in the JAMA Internal Medicine reports that men who take Viagra may double their risk of developing skin cancer, specifically melanoma. Melanoma is the deadliest type of skin cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers from Harvard University and Brown University conducted the study.
Viagra and Melanoma
Many journals have published studies suggesting men taking Viagra are more likely to develop melanoma than men who have not taken the drug. A failure to warn of this very serious risk. A risk that could be the basis for a claim.
Also, one study by the National Institutes of Health involved 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%. Beginning in 2000, the study interviewed participants about their use of Viagra, sexual health and their history of sun exposure. They compared this to a risk of genetic skin cancer, including a history of moles and eye and hair color.
Over the next 10 years, researchers noted various skin cancers, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Researchers found 3,030 incidences of basal cell carcinoma, 580 of squamous cell carcinoma and 142 of melanoma. They concluded 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 of developing other types of skin cancers.
Additionally, researchers did not find any evidence that suffering from ED increases a man’s risk of melanoma. This does not necessarily prove that Viagra causes skin cancer, but there is a link between the two.
Viagra Generic Pill & Melanoma
Now after almost 20 years, a generic form of Viagra is hitting the market.
Pfizer says the current wholesale cost for a 50 milligram or 100 milligrams Viagra is $61.54 a pill. The Viagra generic version will sell between $30 and $35 a pill. Therefore, men who could not afford the drug before will be more tempted to try the dangerous medication. Thus exposing more to the deadly skin cancer, melanoma.
Unfortunately, we may not know the risk for years and for many at that time it may be too late.
We Want to Help Melanoma Victims
It is your right for pharmaceutical companies to inform you about the long-term risks associated with the medications you take. Plus, these companies should provide this information. If you or a loved one has developed melanoma and have taken Viagra, you should demand accountability from Pfizer. Why weren’t you told?
Also, we want to help send a message that this is not acceptable. We are advocates for harmed consumers, and we have the experience necessary to successfully litigate these cases.
On June 15, 2016, U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg appointed Attorney Michael Brady Lynch, lead trial attorney and founder of The Michael Brady Lynch Firm in Winter Park, FL to serve on the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee (PSC) in Viagra litigation MDL #2691.
Undeniably, it is no surprise that Judge Seeborg appointed Attorney Michael Brady Lynch to this prestigious position. Lynch has represented thousands of plaintiffs in MDLs and state-coordinated mass tort claims from around the country and has recovered over 250 million dollars in verdicts and settlements.
Of course, Attorney Michael Brady Lynch is no stranger to leadership positions in prominent mass tort actions. Attorney Michael Brady Lynch was appointed to the PSC in the Pradaxa MDL #2385. Boehringer went on to settle Pradaxa claims for over $650 million. Lynch is dedicated to bringing the same determination for justice on the Viagra Plaintiff’s Steering Committee.
Contact the Michael Brady Lynch Firm today for a free consultation to learn more about seeking justice. Compensation may be available for any medical expenses associated with this ordeal, as well as for your physical and emotional suffering. There is no obligation.