August 5, 2016 — Eli Lilly & Co. is facing lawsuits from seven men who developed skin cancer after taking Cialis for erectile dysfunction.
The men live in Ohio, Illinois, Texas, and other states, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal.
Eli Lilly & Co. is accused of failing to provide warnings about the “significant risk of exacerbating melanoma,” which is an aggressive type of skin cancer that can be deadly.
The lawsuits cite recent studies linking Viagra with melanoma, including one study that found an 84% increased risk. Conclusions were based on data from over 25,000 men.
Viagra and Cialis both work by inhibiting the enzyme PDE5. This enzyme is also blocked by melanoma. While some researchers say the elevated risk is because men who can afford Viagra spend more time outdoors.
The problem with this argument is that studies have only found higher rates of melanoma — not other types of skin cancer caused by sun exposure.
Pfizer, the manufacturer of Viagra, was facing 80 lawsuits as of mid-July. The cases are currently centralized in a federal Multi-District Litigation (MDL No. 2691) in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
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