Merck Sharpe & Dohme Corp. are being sued in a finasteride lawsuit, which alleges their hair loss medication Propecia caused a New York man to suffer from erectile dysfunction (ed dysfunction) and other sexual dysfunction side effects.

Plaintiff Martin Z. filed this Propecia lawsuit claiming he used Propecia (or finasteride) from 2008-2009 to treat his male pattern baldness (also known as androgenic alopecia). Prior to using Merck’s hair loss treatment, Martin did not suffer from sexual dysfunction or cognitive impairment. However, according to his Propecia lawsuit:

“[W]hile consuming finasteride products, Plaintiff began to suffer severe sexual dysfunction and cognitive impairment. Plaintiff’s adverse effects continued after they discontinued using finasteride products. To date, Plaintiff continues to suffer from adverse side effects  . . . As a direct and proximate cause of their finasteride induced side effects, Plaintiff has suffered significant pain and suffering, and their quality of life has been severely diminished.”

Martin brings several allegations against Merck, including claims of strict liability, negligence, breach of implied warranties, breach of express warranty, and negligent infliction of emotional distress. This Propecia lawsuit seeks compensatory, special, punitive, and double or triple damages the plaintiff, as well as attorney’s fees exceeding $100,000.

Propecia Side Effects

Propecia is a popular medication originally approved to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (bph), though the FDA later approved it to treat cases of male pattern baldness. Since Propecia entered the American pharmaceutical market, the drug’s manufacturer, Merck, has sold about 1 million Propecia prescriptions across the United States.

According to recent Propecia side effects studies and Propecia lawsuits like Martin’s, Propecia has been linked with several sexual health complications as reported by their male consumers, including:

• Erectile dysfunction (ED)
• Loss of sex drive
• Impotence
• Low libido
• Inability to orgasm

In April 2012, the FDA required Merck Sharpe and Dohme to employ a mandatory Propecia drug label change to include a warning concerning the “libido disorders, ejaculation disorders, and orgasm disorders that continued after discontinuation of the drug.”

Merck now includes a Propecia sexual dysfunction warning on the Propecia side effects labeling and packaging; however, this Propecia label also includes claims to reassure consumers and prescribing doctors that the Propecia side effects are only temporary and will eventually resolve themselves once the Propecia subscription has been discontinued. However, it seems that these reassuring claims by Merck underplayed the risk of Propecia sexual dysfunction to men who later allegedly suffered from permanent sexual dysfunction.

Because of these alleged Propecia side effects and the company’s negligence in warning their consumers of all the possible finasteride complications, Merck is currently facing over 1,200 finasteride lawsuits in state and federal courts.

The Propecia Lawsuit is Case No. 1:15-cv-02671-JG-VVP, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.