SAN FRANCISCO – A Nevada consumer has filed a suit against a pharmaceutical company alleging a prescription drug caused skin cancer.
David Cohen filed a complaint on April 7 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against Pfizer Inc., citing unfair and deceptive trade practices, negligence, fraud, deceit and other counts.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that in 2013 he was diagnosed with malignant melanoma when a biopsy was conducted on his right cheek and lateral lower eyelid. He alleges this was caused by his continued use of Viagra. The plaintiff holds Pfizer Inc. responsible because the defendant allegedly knew about the harmful effects of Viagra when it tested sildenafil on rats. Despite knowing the harmful effects of the drug, the defendant allegedly chose to distribute it without providing any warnings and precautions on the drug's label.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks punitive and exemplary damages in an amount determined at trial, all legal fees and any other relief as the court deems just. He is represented by Jeremy Shafer of J. Shafer Law in San Diego, John Sawin of Sawin Law Firm LTD in Chicago and Scott Morgan of Morgan Law Firm in Chicago.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California Case number 3:16-cv-01778-LB