Product News and Recalls

Viagra Sales Up 47% in China

viagra sales up despite link to deadly skin cancerAccording to The Independent, sales of Pfizer, Inc.’s erectile dysfunction (ED) drug Viagra rose 47 percent last year in China. The spike in regional profits comes at a time when Viagra’s global sales are falling due to patent loss and competition from other pharmaceutical giants, like Eli Lilly & Co.

Viagra has been linked in studies to an increased risk of melanoma, a dangerous type of skin cancer. A 2014 investigation 26,000 men found that patients who used sildenafil (Viagra) were nearly twice as likely to develop melanoma. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation’s website, melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer. Roughly 75,000 men and women are diagnosed with melanoma each year in the United States, and about 10,000 die of the disease.

ED medications like Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra inhibit a gene related to melanoma, and medical experts have expressed concern over whether use of these drugs causally relates to increased rates of skin cancer.

Always consult your doctor about switching medications. It is also a good idea to discuss potential side effects of your medication with your doctor. If you or someone close to you was diagnosed with melanoma after using Viagra, contact the pharmaceutical attorneys at Lopez McHugh to discuss your case free of charge with an experienced Viagra lawyer. You may be eligible to receive compensation through a Viagra lawsuit.