Originally published August 4 2005
Canadian health officials warn of vision loss associated with erectile dysfunction drugs
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
After the FDA approved new safety labels for Pfizer's Viagra earlier this month, warning of its potential to cause a rare eye disorder that hinders blood flow into the eye's optic nerve and could cause blindness, Health Canada is now advising users of the erectile dysfunction drugs Viagra, Cialis or Levitra to seek immediate medical attention if they experience sudden vision loss or other vision problems, and Health Canada may also consider seeking new warning labels for the drugs.
Canada advised users of the erectile dysfunction drugs Viagra, Cialis or Levitra on Tuesday to seek "immediate medical attention" if they experience sudden vision loss or other vision problems when taking the drugs.
Health Canada, the federal health ministry, also said in a statement it was likely to change the product information for the three popular drugs.
Earlier this month the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved new labeling to warn men about possible blindness from Pfizer Inc.'s Viagra.
The U.S. warning labels also affect Cialis, sold by Eli Lilly & Co. and Icos Corp., and Levitra, which is co-promoted by GlaxoSmithKline and Bayer AG.
"Health Canada is advising individuals who use the drugs Viagra, Cialis and Levitra to consult their physicians and seek immediate medical attention if they experience sudden vision loss or vision-related problems while taking these drugs," the statement said.
Later, Health Canada's spokeswoman, Nathalie Lalonde, said it was too early to say whether the agency's decision would be similar to the FDA's.
"We anticipate that we will be in a position to make a decision in terms of labeling changes within the next two to three months," she said.
The ministry said it was reviewing two Canadian reports of Viagra users who suffered a specific type of vision loss -- known as non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy -- which has been linked to impotence drugs.
The statement cited a March article in the Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology on 14 cases of Viagra users suffering the rare eye condition, in which the blood supply to the optic nerve where it enters the eye is interrupted.
All the cases involved other risk factors for the condition, including high blood pressure.
"The March paper did send us a signal, raised an antenna," said Lalonde.
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