Hundreds of lawsuits were filed after studies discovered that men who use Viagra could be 84% more likely to develop melanoma, an aggressive type of skin cancer.
UPDATE: FDA Investigating Melanoma Risk
June 30, 2016 — The FDA announced that it was deciding whether to issue warnings about the risk of melanoma from erectile dysfunction drugs like Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra. Click here to read more.
What is Viagra?
Viagra contains sildenafil, a drug made by Pfizer that is prescribed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). It has been on the market since 1998 and sales peaked in 2008 at US$1.9 billion.
Viagra and Melanoma
Experts do not know if Viagra causes melanoma. Men who can afford Viagra may simply spend more time outdoors, and sun exposure is the #1 risk-factor for skin cancer.
The problem with this theory is that Viagra is only associated with melanoma — not other types of skin cancer. Viagra also works by blocking phosphodiesterase (PDE5A), and studies have shown this increases the invasiveness of aggressive melanoma.
Studies Linking Viagra and Skin Cancer
A growing number of studies have found higher rates of melanoma among men who use Viagra, such as:
- PLoS Medicine (2016): Viagra linked to 14% increased risk of melanoma, based on data from 150,000 men on erectile dysfunction drugs vs. 560,000 men who were not.
- JAMA (2015): Viagra linked to 21% increased risk of melanoma in a Swedish study of 4,000 men.
- JAMA (2014): In a study of 26,000 men, current users of Viagra were 84% more likely to develop melanoma. Men who had ever used Viagra were twice as likely to be diagnosed with melanoma.
Viagra MDL Centralizes Lawsuits in Federal Court
In April 2016, federal judges centralized all Viagra melanoma lawsuits into one federal Multi-District Litigation (MDL No. 2691) in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California under Judge Richard Seeborg: In Re: Viagra (Sildenafil Citrate) Products Liability Litigation.
What is Melanoma?
Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer. It occurs when pigment-cells called melanocytes grow uncontrollably. Melanoma can occur anywhere on the body. It sometimes starts in a mole, which is a benign (non-cancerous) skin tumor.
Symptoms of Melanoma
It is hard to tell the difference between a harmless mole and life-threatening melanoma. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor — especially if your mole has warning signs, such as:
- Asymmetrical shape
- Uneven border
- Multiple colors
- Larger than a pencil eraser (1/4-inch)
- Changes over time
- Looks and feels different from other moles
- Bleeding or crusting
- Itching
- Pain or tenderness
For more information: Gallery of skin cancer
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