Washington D.C. plaintiff Osman A. is suing Merck & Co. for the injuries he allegedly incurred from using their hair loss remedy, Propecia. Osman claims that in direct result of using Propecia, he developed severe erectile dysfunction and other personal injuries.

Like millions of middle-aged men in America, Osman was suffering from male-pattern baldness and was seeking a remedy. The plaintiff’s physician had recommended Propecia after seeing the defendant’s advertisements, and seeing positive medical reviews. At the time of the prescription, the physician had not been aware of Propecia’s alleged association with erectile dysfunction.

Confident that results would be seen, Osman started Propecia in January 2001 and followed all prescription instructions and physician advice, up until the end of his prescription in October 2010. By the time he ended his prescription, Osman had allegedly suffered a variety of severe personal injuries, including all the inconveniences and embarrassments of erectile dysfunction and sexual dysfunction. According to the Propecia lawsuit, Osman continues to suffer sexual dysfunction even after discontinuing the drug.

As mentioned before, Osman and his physician had not been aware of the fact that Propecia could possibly cause persisting sexual dysfunction side effects like erectile dysfunction, decreased libido, and ejaculation complications. At no point in time did the defendant notify the plaintiff or his physician before or after the prescription, according to the Propecia lawsuit. Additionally, there were no warnings or indications on Propecia’s label to indicate sexual dysfunction complications.

Due to the side effects of Propecia, Osman must now be under constant medical monitoring and suffer an overall diminished quality of life, the Propecia lawsuit alleges. Osman’s lawyers state that Merck had the responsibility of protecting and informing their client and other Propecia consumers of all possible side effects that could be caused from their product. Osman insists that he never would have used Propecia if he had known about the possibility of sexual dysfunction.

Osman is suing Merck & Co. for being allegedly responsible for manufacturing, selling, distributing, and marketing a dangerous drug. The charges include: negligence, false advertising, concealing information, and misrepresenting a product.

This Propecia Lawsuit is Case No. 1:15-cv-02069, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

Overview of Propecia Complications

Propecia was approved in 1997 to be used as a male-pattern baldness treatment option for men. Since its introduction to the American market, over 1 million people have been prescribed Propecia. Over the years, it has garnered millions for its manufacturing company Merck & Co., and has earned positive reception throughout the country. However, there have been a number of allegations from men, claiming that Propecia causes persisting sexual dysfunction complications. These complications have been reported to last months or even years after using Propecia. The sex lives of millions of men have allegedly been compromised for decades.

It has only been recently that medical experts pointed out that Propecia could be causing sexual dysfunction problems, even though medical experts were reportedly aware of a possible problem since at least 2003. Healthcare experts warn that the problems related to Propecia sexual dysfunction stem from the drug’s main ingredient, finasteride. Finasteride had been initially applied for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, or enlarged prostate, but was later approved to treat baldness in men. This had proved to be a good marketing spin, as male-pattern baldness is a highly common condition in men. Despite the initial positive reception, it was not long until patients started reporting problems.

Finasteride works by inhibiting a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which weakens hair follicles in the patient’s head, which results in baldness. However, finasteride prevents DHT production by preventing testosterone from converting into the hormone. It works in preventing baldness, but medical experts state that the sexual complications are caused by this direct interference with testosterone. Merck & Co. failed to mention this on Propecia’s warning label, which has led to mass criticism form the medical community and scrutiny from the public.

Ever since these Propecia sexual complications were brought to light, many men and their families have taken legal action against Merck & Co. for failing to protect them from their product. Additionally, Merck & Co. has been criticized for selling an unreasonably dangerous product, and for failing to warn consumers about Propecia side effects.