Ashley Milano  |  August 31, 2015

Category: Legal News

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Senior man and hair loss issuePropecia, a common medication used to treat hair loss in men, has been reported to cause serious side effects, including sexual erectile dysfunction and prostate cancer.

Many men who take this drug may be unaware of the severity of Propecia’s side effects because the drug’s manufacturer, Merck, has led consumers to believe that any sexual side effects are temporary and the risk of developing cancer is low. Instead, new studies and other reports are showing that these Propecia side effects are alarmingly all too common.

Propecia Sexual Dysfunction

Propecia is the trade name for Finasteride, a synthetic antiandrogen that inhibits type II 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone.

In 1992, the FDA approved the use of finasteride under the brand name Proscar to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia. In 1997, it was approved to treat male pattern baldness under the brand name Propecia. Merck manufactures both of these brands.

Recognized Propecia side effects include:

  • Impotence
  • Abnormal ejaculation
  • Decreased ejaculatory volume
  • Abnormal sexual function
  • Gynecomastia
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Ejaculation disorder
  • Testicular pain

Although Propecia’s label includes a warning about these possible side effects, the package labeling indicates the side effects are temporary and will cease once treatment is discontinued.

Contradicting the label, however, is a study conducted by George Washington University. The study raises concerns that these side effects could be permanent in at least 15 percent of men who have taken Propecia or Proscar, even after discontinuing the drug.

The study, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, included interviews with 71 men between the ages of 21 to 46 years. Many subjects reported new-onset persistent sexual dysfunction associated with the use of finasteride. 94 percent of subjects reported developing low libido, 92 percent reported erectile dysfunction, 92 percent reported decreased arousal, and 69 percent reported problems with orgasm.

While Propecia and Proscar’s labeling in the United States continues to state that the sexual dysfunction side effects are reversible, other countries have required stronger warning labels.

In 2008, the Swedish Medical Products agency issued a warning that the use of finasteride could result in irreversible sexual dysfunction. The United Kingdom’s Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has acknowledged reports of persistent erectile dysfunction associated with finasteride, and the Italian government has required updated finasteride labeling to reflect the possibly of permanent sexual side effects.

Propecia Prostate Cancer

In addition to sexual dysfunction side effects, Propecia has also been linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer.

On June 9, 2011, the FDA issued a press release warning that Propecia may increase the risk for high-grade prostate cancer, the most aggressive and deadly form of the disease.

The warning was based on the administration’s analysis of two large studies – the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT) and the Reduction by Dutasteride of Prostate Cancer Events (REDUCE) Trial – which showed that Propecia and other medications in the 5-alpha reductase inhibitor (5-ARI) class reduced the overall risk of getting prostate cancer but increased the chances of developing high-grade tumors.

Propecia Litigation

To date, over 1,100 men across the country have filed Propecia lawsuits against Merck seeking compensation for Propecia complications.

In April 2012, a Propecia Multidistrict Litigation was created to more efficiently handle a growing number of complaints with similar accusations. Plaintiffs contend that Merck knew, or should have known, that when taken as prescribed, the male pattern baldness treatment could cause sexual dysfunction or prostate cancer.

The Propecia MDL is In Re: Propecia (Finasteride) Product Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2331, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The Propecia attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or Propecia class action lawsuit is best for you. [In general, finasteride lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.] Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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If you or a loved one took Propecia, Proscar or finasteride and suffered sexual dysfunction, you may have a legal claim. See if you qualify by filling out the short form below.

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