Viagra Lawsuit 2023
Despite its widespread popularity as an effective treatment for men’s erectile dysfunction (ED), recent lawsuits brought Viagra to the public attention as an extremely dangerous product. The “blue pill” has long been associated with many serious side effects such as cardiovascular issues and sight problems, but a new risk of melanoma (a potentially lethal skin cancer) has emerged recently.
Almost one thousand plaintiffs have initiated litigation stating that the manufacturer of Viagra failed to warn them about the alleged risks adequately, and are now seeking proper compensation. If you are among those who suffered from any damage after using Viagra, please let us know. We will assist you in finding the best attorney available to protect your rights, lead you through litigation and get the compensation you deserve.
What is Viagra and how does it work?
Viagra (sildenafil) is one of the most controversial medications that hit the market in the last three decades. A potent PDE5 inhibitor, it was originally developed to treat pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure) and angina pectoris (a specific type of chest pain associated with cardiovascular issues). However, it was later found that one of its side effects was, indeed, able to treat another problem that affects many men: Erectile dysfunction. Approved for this use on 27 March 1998 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Pfizer’s sildenafil (Viagra) has rapidly gained incredible popularity despite its many side effects.
Why are people filing lawsuits?
This is not the first time that Pfizer gets flooded with lawsuits filed by plaintiffs who suffered a serious injury. Although the drug was never recalled, the FDA had issued a label change to warn the public about the risk associated with Viagra twice, in 2005 and 2007. The first time, thousands of patients did, in fact, suffer from vision loss related to a serious condition known as NAION (or non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy). The second time, instead, the agency identified a risk for sudden hearing loss associated with the use of Viagra.
All the litigations were eventually dismissed, but the controversial legal history of Viagra is not over, yet. This time, in 2014, a group of researchers from Harvard Medical School in Boston found a potential link between sildenafil (Viagra) and melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer. The study published in the medical journal JAMA Internal Medicine concluded that Viagra is associated with an 84% increased risk of this type of cancer, and even called for additional research to be conducted on other types of cancer.
Current state of the legal proceedings
Plaintiffs have started litigation against Pfizer over injuries suffered after using Viagra (mostly the development of melanoma) allege that the company was negligent in warning the public about this danger. According to them, the product was poorly tested before its release, and the drugmaker intentionally concealed vital information about the association between sildenafil (Viagra) and skin cancer in order to fraudulently increase its profits. If people knew about the risks, they might have elected not to take the medication, avoiding the serious side effects that led them to the development of this often fatal condition.
In April 2016, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) consolidated all federal Viagra lawsuits filed by patients affected by melanoma into a Multi-District Litigation (MDL No. 2691) (In RE: Viagra (Sildenafil Citrate) Products Liability Litigation). An MDL is frequently employed to speed up and streamline litigation and save precious resources and time. This one, in particular, will be overseen by Judge Richard Seeborg in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. As of August 2018, a total of 749 lawsuits are currently pending in the MDL.
In December 2016, judges centralized into MDL No. 2691 a number of other lawsuits involving men who developed melanoma after taking Cialis, too. Since this other drug is also a PDE5 inhibitor that shares the same mechanism of action, the Panel ultimately decided to expand the scope of the MDL to encompass these cases as well.
How can we help you?
If you developed melanoma or suffered any serious harm after using sildenafil (Viagra), you have the right to start a lawsuit against the drugmaker who manufactured it and seek financial compensation. The pharmaceutical companies are liable for any damage a drug may cause in any circumstance where their product was poorly or inadequately tested.
Contact us today, and we will find the best lawyer available to assist during your litigation.