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.