In light of the recent concern of Propecia sexual dysfunction complications, the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) has recently declared that Propecia patients could potentially suffer post-finasteride syndrome (PFS).

Finasteride is the main ingredient in Propecia. The health institute has recently added the hair loss medication to its Genetics and Rare Diseases Information Center. This decision was announced following a finasteride study published in June 2015 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), which concluded that a majority of Propecia patients do not report their side effects.

This study was conducted by scientist Steven Belknap of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, who analyzed numerous Propecia patients reports with his colleagues. He and other scientists concluded that Propecia presented a possible risk of male sexual function.

While the injury reports and recent studies show a definite correlation between Propecia and sexual dysfunction complications, experts are questioning why clinical trials do not reflect the same. Scientists also wondered why it took so long to recognize Propecia sexual dysfunction complications as a problem.

Due to constant questions and submission of Propecia injury reports, the Post-Finasteride Syndrome Foundation was founded in 2012, which contains numerous Propecia reports from doctors. These reports include a 2010 warning about potential Finasteride sexual dysfunction such as Propecia impotence.

The foundation has already funded three research investigations for the purpose of studying the possible Propecia sexual dysfunction association. While not all Propecia patients suffer from sexual dysfunction, each case should be recorded and taken seriously; beyond the physical impairments of these side effects, many men report suffering mental and emotional anguish from their lack of libido.

Overview of Propecia Sexual Dysfunction Complications

Propecia was first introduced to the market in 1997, when Merck & Co. had released it to treat male-pattern baldness. Merck had discovered the marketability of Finasteride when it was discovered that it could prevent baldness in men. These positive medical effects were discovered in another drug, Proscar, which was used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia. Merck spent nearly a billion dollars in clinical trials before the release of Propecia, and had already accumulated a large following by the time the drug was released. Within the first year of its release, approximately 400,000 men had been prescribed Propecia in the United States.

While Merck & Co. did provide early Propecia and Proscar users warnings of potential sexual side effects, it was later discovered that these warnings were grossly understated. Not only did Merck suggest that these complications were rare, but they also stated that these sexual dysfunction complications would resolve themselves if the drugs were discontinued.

Both Propecia and Proscar belong to the drug family 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, which are used to treat conditions that are effected by dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a potent hormone that the body converts from testosterone. DHT conditions are infamous for inducing male-pattern baldness and enlarged prostates in men, both of which are extremely common conditions in older men in the United States.

Due to how much information the company had omitted, numerous former Propecia patients have decided to file legal action against Merck & Co. The charges brought by these men include negligence, false advertising, concealing information, and misrepresenting a product.