Propecia (finasteride), a popular hair loss treatment for men, has been linked with severe and sometimes permanent side effects, including sexual dysfunction.

According to Propecia reviews by consumers, numerous men took the drug to manage male pattern baldness or enlarged prostate and suffered several Propecia side effects, many of which did not resolve once the patients discontinued their use of Propecia.

Background on Propecia

Over one million men across the United States have been prescribed Propecia to treat either male baldness or benign prostatic hyperplasia (more commonly known as enlarged prostate).

Merck & Co. has sold the hair loss drug as an FDA approved treatment for male pattern baldness since 1997. However, according to Propecia lawsuits, plaintiffs claim that Merck knowingly manufactured and sold a dangerous and defective drug.

In 2012, the FDA mandated that Merck update Propecia’s label to include warnings of the various known Propecia side effects, including libido, ejaculation, and orgasm disorders that persisted even after patients discontinued use of the drug, according to Propecia reviews.

Recent Propecia lawsuits allege that Merck was aware of the drug’s sexual dysfunction side effects were permanent since 2008, because around this time the company added a warning about permanent Propecia sexual dysfunction to the drug labels sold in Sweden.

According to reports and lawsuits, use of Propecia results in the following complications:

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

Currently, Merck is facing over 1,240 Propecia lawsuits filed in state and federal court by men who claim they suffered complications after taking the finasteride prescription drug.

Propecia Studies

Several studies on Propecia have been conducted over the last few years to determine the length and severity of Propecia side effects.

One such study performed by researchers from Boston University School of Medicine concluded that men who took the hair loss drug to treat BPH suffered even worse erectile dysfunction that did not resolve after the finasteride prescription was discontinued.

The study’s Propecia results were published in the June 2015 edition of Hormone Molecular Biology and Clinical Investigation. This study observed 470 male participants who were given Propecia reportedly experienced reduced testosterone levels that lead to hypogonadism, resulting in lower sex drive and sexual dysfunction.

One author from this Propecia side effects study concluded:

“Since sexual function is considered an integral part of overall health, it is important that physicians are aware of the adverse side effects of this class of drugs on human health in general and on sexual function in particular. Our study emphasized that the effect on erectile function is a serious concern and needs to be considered more carefully.”

If you are a male who took Propecia to treat BPH or male pattern baldness and later experienced sexual dysfunction side effects, you have rights and may have grounds to pursue a Propecia lawsuit.