This has put me off starting my finateride tablets..
Lawsuits have recently been filed against Merck & Co., the manufacturer of Propecia, claiming its hair loss drug has led several men to suffer from permanent impotence, an irreversible sexual dysfunction. These lawsuits claim that the manufacturer of Propecia failed to adequately warn US consumers of these adverse sexual side effects. Atkins and Markoff is an Oklahoma City-based personal injury law firm that represents individuals injured by pharmaceuticals; for more information visit www.atkinsandmarkoff.com.
(PRWEB) July 01, 2011
Propecia is a prescription medicine that is used to treat male pattern baldness. Approved by the FDA in 1992, Propecia was originally designed to treat enlarged prostate and was marketed as Proscar by Merck & Co. The main active ingredient in Propecia is finasteride. This medication is a member of a class of drugs called 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, which have been linked to erectile dysfunction, impotence, loss of sexual desire, and depression ("Persistent Sexual Side Effects of Finasteride for Male Pattern Hair Loss," onlinelibrary.wiley.com). In 2008, Propecia sales earned $429 million for Merck & Co.
A recent study published by the Journal of Sexual Medicine (onlinelibrary.wiley.com) interviewed 71 men that complained of sexual side effects from taking Propecia. 94% of these men developed low libido, 92% developed erectile dysfunction, 92% developed decreased arousal, and 69% developed problems with orgasms after taking the hair loss drug for an average of 28 months. However, the most disturbing aspect of this study was the small percentage of men who's symptoms persisted even after the medication was stopped.
Lead researcher Abdulmaged M. Traish, a professor of biochemistry and urology at Boston University School of Medicine, states that for some men "it's a life sentence." Almost every man that takes Propecia or Proscar experiences some sexual side effects ("Sexual Side Effects From Propecia, Avodart May Be Irreversible," medicinenet.com), but Traish adds "I am not worried about those who stop taking the drug and get their life back, [my concern is] about those who stop taking the drug, but they don't get their life back."
The Propecia class action lawsuit (Case 3:11-cv-00641-GEB -TJB) was filed in New Jersey Federal District Court on behalf of Steven Rossello, of Harlingen, Texas, and Justin Herrman, of Las Vegas, Nevada. These men were both prescribed Propecia to treat male pattern baldness, and both have suffered serious sexual dysfunction, which has become permanent. The lawsuit alleges that Merck released warnings about the risk of sexual problems from Propecia in Europe, but they differed significantly from the label warnings for users of Propecia in the U.S, which failed to adequately warn of such side effects.
The lawsuit over Propecia sexual dysfunction charges Merck with failure to warn, negligence, strict product liability, and breach of warranty. The two men are seeking compensatory damages in excess of $100,000, plus punitive damages and court costs for injuries from side effects as well as emotional distress and anxiety.
About Atkins and Markoff:
Atkins & Markoff is an Oklahoma Law Firm with a team of personal injury attorneys who serve consumers in several types of legal matters, including defective drug injury, product liability suits, medical malpractice, and accident injury. The firm has been handling these cases on behalf of American consumers for 15 years.
