Study Shows Possible Link between Viagra Use and Increased Risk of Skin Cancer

Viagra (Sildenafil), the popular drug prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction in men, has been associated with an increased risk of skin cancer according to a Harvard School of Public Health study published in JAMA Internal Medicine in April 2014. The study, which began in 2000, involved 25,848 health professionals who used Viagra and excluded participants who reported having cancer at the start of the study. The study found that men who use Viagra are 84% more likely to develop melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. While the study was only preliminary and not sufficient “to alter clinical recommendations,” the findings support a concern that users of Viagra are more susceptible to developing the disease.

Melanoma is caused when the DNA of skin cells (melanocytes) is damaged and unrepaired as the result of intense or occasional ultraviolet exposure (usually from the sun or overexposure in tanning beds) occurring especially in demographics of the population genetically predisposed to this exposure. Signs of melanoma usually appear in the form of an unusual growth on the skin or a change in an existing mole such as discoloration. Melanoma can even appear in areas of the skin that are not normally prone to UV exposure. Traditional risk factors for developing melanoma include UV exposure, fair skin, freckling, light hair, family history of melanoma, age, and gender. Men over 40 have a higher rate of melanoma, while women under 40 have a higher rate of melanoma occurrence.

In December 2014, Edward Corboy Jr. of Illinois filed a lawsuit against Pfizer, the makers of Viagra, claiming that the drug company failed to adequately warn that using Viagra substantially increases the risk of developing skin cancer. Corboy asserts that he was prescribed and began using Viagra in 2008 to treat erectile dysfunction. In December 2012, the plaintiff saw a doctor who noticed a mole on his neck. A subsequent biopsy determined that the mole was a melanoma. The complaint asserts that Pfizer knew or should have known of the increased risk of developing melanoma when using the drug and failed to warn “doctors who prescribed or patients who were prescribed” the drug of this risk. Citing the April 2014 JAMA study, Corboy states that he did not discover the connection between his use of Viagra and subsequent development of melanoma until the study was published. Given that the authors of the study admitted that the findings were not conclusive and more research is necessary, Corboy will likely need more information in order to demonstrate a causal connection between the use of Viagra and the increased risk of skin cancer. In addition to negligence claims, the complaint also includes claims of strict liability, fraudulent concealment, and unjust enrichment.

If you have used Viagra and subsequently developed melanoma you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Call 800-977-5614 to speak to a Jacoby & Meyers attorney today.

Zachary Mayberry, student intern Jacoby & Meyers.