Sexual Side Effects the Cause of Propecia Lawsuits

Propecia, a treatment for male pattern-baldness, is currently facing lawsuits that address the drug's serious side effects. Since 1997, Propecia (finasteride, 1 mg) has been marketed as the world's first hair-loss remedy available as a pill. When the medication first became available, Merck, the drug's manufacturer, warned consumers of a low risk of erectile dysfunction and other sexual side effects. However, studies conducted over the last 14 years have revealed that Propecia's side effects are more plentiful and persistent than first reported.

Lawsuits Against Propecia Increase

As more plaintiffs file Propecia lawsuits, news has spread regarding the drug's side effects. While all medications have possible side effects, medical experts explain that the issue is whether a drug's benefits outweigh the risks. In a case such as Propecia, the cons were not fully understood or disclosed, so patients made decisions without fully understanding potential risks to their health.

In a recent Los Angeles Times article, Dr. Valerie Ulene, a board-certified specialist in preventative medicine, expressed her concern over Propecia. Dr. Ulene encourages a risk analysis of the drug's benefits – reducing bald spots, slowing hair loss, and improving hair's appearance – compared with Propecia side effects, which include male breast cancer, impotence, and an increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer. Ulene's opinion is that the possibility of serious, long-term repercussions is what has prompted so many Propecia lawsuits.

Propecia Causes Long-term Erectile Dysfunction and Other Side Effects

In 1992, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of Proscar (finasteride, 5 mg) to treat benign prostate enlargement. Five years later, in 1997, the FDA gave the go-ahead to use the finasteride in one-milligram doses to treat male pattern baldness. Merck, the drug's manufacturer, marketed the new wonder drug as Propecia – the first hair-loss remedy available in pill form.

When Propecia first hit the market, Merck warned of several side effects that included a low risk of Propecia erectile dysfunction. However, later studies revealed that the risk of sexual side effects were higher than originally estimated.

Sexual Side Effects

During the initial FDA-approval process, Merck's clinical studies reported that use of Propecia showed a less than two percent chance of Propecia sexual side effects such as decreased libido, erectile dysfunction (ED), and a decreased amount of ejaculate. Additionally, a small percent of men experienced testicular pain and breast enlargement. The original label for Propecia warned users against these side effects.

Canadian Officials Site Male Breast Cancer as Risk of Propecia

The side effects of Propecia, a popular hair loss medication, may increase the risk that men experience erectile dysfunction, decreased libido and other sexual problems, which have been permanent in some cases.  Research has suggested that only about half of men who experienced sexual side effects of Propecia have the problems resolve after they stop the medication. Other studies have found that the mean duration of Propecia erectile dysfunction was 40 months, with 20% of subjects reporting durations over 6 years. In addition to this, there have also been shown to be links between Propecia and male breast cancer. Canadian health officials have issued a new warning

Man Claims that Propecia Warning did not List Continued Sexual Dysfunction as Side Effect

Recently, a number of men who claim to have developed erectile dysfunction while using Propecia have filed suit against Merck & Co., the maker of that drug. According to a Propecia erectile dysfunction lawsuit filed this past April in federal court in New Jersey, Merck changed label warnings for the drug in Sweden, Italy and the United Kingdom to include “persistence of erectile dysfunction after discontinuation of treatment” as a possible side effect. These label changes occurred after the Swedish Medical Products Agency began “investigating reports of persistent sexual dysfunction side effects which continue in men despite discontinuing finasteride” in 2006. But Merck revised the U.S. Propecia product monograph in 2010 without including an “updated warning regarding the persistence of sexual dysfunction,” the Propecia lawsuit claims.