Florida Courts To Hear New Propecia Sexual Dysfunction Lawsuit

A man in Florida has filed suit against the maker of Propecia, claiming the male baldness drug caused him to suffer Propecia erectile dysfunction and other sexual problems. The claim, brought in U.S. District Court for the District of Tampa, is just the latest Propecia lawsuit filed against Merck & Co. by men who say that the drug caused sexual issues. The lawyer of Eddie and Lisa Sebastia filed a Propecia lawsuit in June of 2011, indicating that from 1998 to 2007, Eddie Sebastia took either Propecia (1 mg finasteride) or Proscar (5 mg finasteride) for male pattern hair loss. In June 2009, Sebastia reported sexual dysfunction symptoms to his physician, who suggested that the problems might be Propecia sexual side effects, and could be permanent.

Side Effects Focus of Propecia Lawsuit News

In 1992, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of finasteride to treat benign prostate enlargement. In 1997, the organization extended its approval to Propecia (finasteride, 1 mg), a male pattern baldness drug. Merck, the medication's manufacturer, marketed Propecia as an up-and-coming wonder drug – the first hair loss medication of its kind to be available in pill form.

New Plaintiff Alleges Propecia Caused Sexual Dysfunction and Cognitive Impairment

Over the last several years men have been reporting that the drug Propecia (also referred to by the generic name finasteride) which is prescribed to treat male pattern hair loss (MPHL) has caused permanent Propecia sexual side effects including erectile dysfunction even after stopping their Propecia treatment. Jason McCord, in his Propecia Lawsuit, was 36 at the time he started to take Propecia. He claims not to have suffered from any sexual dysfunction before that time and his lawsuit, filed on January 6, 2012, has made the claim that the Propecia side effects have continued after quitting the drug. Unlike other plaintiffs, McCord has also claimed that he suffered from cognitive impairment as well. Millions of prescriptions have been filled for Propecia in the United States to help treat male pattern baldness. According to the manufacturer, Merck & Co., Inc., there is the potential for Propecia sexual side effects, however the side effects go away after discontinuing treatment.

Through Propecia litigation, former users are able to obtain compensation for damages and ensure that drug makers are held accountable for placing profits before consumer safety. Since introducing Propecia for hair loss, Merck has engaged in an aggressive direct-to-consumer marketing campaign for their medication, which has been referred to as a “cosmeceutical” product. Now, many former users are alleging that the long term effects of taking Propecia were hidden from them. Some doctors have indicated that the medication destroyed the life of patients, causing problems that substantially outweigh any concerns about the appearance of hair loss, often leading to depression, fatigue and other injuries.

Propecia warnings provided in the United States suggested that sexual side effects were only seen in a very small number of men and indicated that the Propecia problems went away in men who stopped taking the drug. Allegedly, Merck failed to disclose the large number of users who were continuing to suffer persistent and irreversible Propecia sexual problems even after they stopped using the medication. Many Propecia lawyers will note that in 2008 the Proecia label in Sweden was changed by Merck to warn that persistent erectile dysfunction had been reported, though no similar update was made in the U.S.

Propecia Lawsuit Eligibility May Be Available To Spouses

Spouses of men who have experienced Propecia sexual side effects such as erectile dysfunction or impotence may be eligible to file lawsuits against Merck, the manufacturer of the popular drug for male pattern baldness.

The idea of Propecia lawsuit eligibility for spouses acknowledges that the Propecia sexual side effects affect not only the man who took Propecia, but also his spouse, whose sex  life is likewise being damaged by the man's inabililty to perform as a result of taking Propecia.

In legal terms, a spouse could sue by claiming "loss of consortium." This term, consortium, refers to activities normally performed by a spouse. When a person suffers an injury that impairs his or her ability to perform normal spousal duties such as housework or sexual intercourse, the victim's spouse or partner is eligible to file a lawsuit claiming loss of consortium. 

Propecia Settlements to Address Cancer Risks

Public Citizen, a consumer watchdog group, has set a new class of drugs in their sights: 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5-ARI). Also known as 5α-Reductase inhibitors, this group includes medications such as Avodart, Proscar, Propecia and related drugs. In an October 2011 newsletter, Public Citizen warned consumers to cease use of these medications, which are now shown to have links with increased risks of high-grade prostate cancer.

Side Effects of Propecia Can Leave men impotent

Propecia, a pill used to counter male pattern baldness, which occurs in about half of the male population as they age, has come under scrutiny when the Propecia sexual side-effects, which were known to occur but believed to be temporary, have turned out to be permanent in some cases. Although Propecia’s manufacturer, Merck, acknowledges the drug may cause some sexual side-effects, the information passed on to doctors and patients did not indicate the possible permanence of these side effects. For some men, the advantage of having hair outweighed the possibility of a short-term sexual side-effect. Recently, however, studies have shown that for some Propecia users, the “short-term” side-effects may actually last indefinitely– even after the men have stopped using the medication, leading to a slew of Propecia lawsuits.

Although Merck has warned men in other countries that sexual side effects may be permanent, suits allege that the drug maker has downplayed the potential Propecia side effects in the United States and continues to provide misleading information that suggests the problems will resolve when the medication is stopped. Label warnings for Propecia in the U.S. indicate that the small number of men who experienced sexual side effects while taking the medication during clinical trials had the dysfunction resolve after stopping the medication.

Since introducing Propecia for hair loss, Merck has engaged in an aggressive direct-to-consumer marketing campaign for their medication, which has been referred to as a “cosmeceutical” product. Within two years of receiving approval to sell Propecia, Merck was spending over $125 million a year advertising the product, though none of those ads ever mentioned loss of libido or other sexual side-effects as a possible permanent situation. Male pattern baldness is caused partially by an individual’s reaction to a male hormone, DHT, which is found in the scalp. This hormone causes the hair follicle to shrink, making it difficult for hair to grow. Propecia blocks the hormone, which makes it easier for many men to grow and re-grow their hair. Some studies are beginning to show that the blocking of that hormone may be leading to these side-effects and that Propecia may be shutting the hormone down permanently.

Propecia Lawsuit Settlements Address Long-term Side Effects

In 1997, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved use of Propecia (finasteride, 1 mg) to treat male pattern baldness. Hailed as the new generation in hair loss remedies, the drug was the first of its kind to be available in pill form. Like all medications, Propecia warned of potential risks, including erectile dysfunction and other sexual side effects while using the drug.

Permanence of Propecia's Side Effects

Unfortunately, patients on the pill soon learned that Propecia's side effects were not short-term; instead, they can persist for years or, as some believe, may be permanent. This discovery led to Propecia lawsuits around the country, although as of October 2011, there is currently no multi-district litigation (MDL), national class action suit, or mass tort case against Propecia. Victims of Propecia's sexual side effects are encouraged to pursue individual lawsuits until there are enough cases to warrant consolidation into an MDL. However, several regional class action suits have already been filed in the United States and Canada.

In the meantime, individuals seek reparations for Propecia side effects on their own. A recent in U.S. District Court case in Seattle, filed in Washington State's Western District Court, addresses side effects experienced by Charles Shute. Shute, and other plaintiffs like him, alleges that Merck, the manufacturer of Propecia, did not provide adequate warnings regarding the medication's risk factors. In fact, Shute explains that he was informed only of temporary sexual side effects that would disappear as soon as he discontinued use of Propecia. This is not the case.