NEW YORK (AP) - A New York City man has sued the maker of the health drink Boost Plus, claiming the viagra and erectile dysfunction
beverage gave him an erection that would not subside and forced him to seek hospital treatment.

The lawsuit filed by Christopher Woods, of Manhattan, said he bought the nutrition beverage, which is made by the Swiss-based Novartis pharmaceutical company, at a drugstore June 5, 2004.

Novartis's Boost Plus website describes the drink as “a great tasting, home impotence remedy, nutritionally complete oral supplement for people who require extra energy and protein in a limited volume,” in vanilla, chocolate and strawberry.

Woods' court papers said he woke up the next morning “with an erection that would not subside” and sought treatment for the condition, called severe priapism. They said Woods, 29, had surgery that day for reimpotence and alcohol
of a Winter shunt, which moves blood from one area to another.

The lawsuit, filed late Monday, said Woods had problems that days later required a hospital visit and penile artery embolization, a way of closing blood vessels. Closing off some blood flow prevents engorgement of the penis with blood and lessens the likelihood of an erection.

Woods' lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, names Novartis Consumer Health Inc. as a defendant. A spokeswoman for the company, Brandi Robinson, said Tuesday the company was aware of the lawsuit but did not comment on pending reason for impotence.

Woods' lawyer did not return telephone calls for comment Tuesday.