WARNING: Male hair loss drug Propecia (finasteride) has been linked to sexual side-effects that continue long after discontinuation of the drug.
The active chemical in Propecia (by Merck & Co., Inc.), finasteride, is also used in the benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) drug, Proscar, but at a 5mg dose rather than 1mg, as is the dose in Propecia. As such, all sexual side-effects experienced by Propecia users are to be found in the Proscar population, often to a further extent and at a higher rate.
In 2012, the manufacturers of Propecia were required by the United States Food and Drug Administration to alter the drug’s Warning Label, and include information about these adverse sexual side-effects.
The FDA writes:
“On April 11, 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced changes to the professional labels for Propecia (finasteride 1 mg) and Proscar (finasteride 5 mg) to expand the list of sexual adverse events reported to FDA as some of these events have been reported to continue after the drug is no longer being used (note that erectile dysfunction after stopping use of these drugs was added as a known event in 2011). The new label changes include:
A revision to the Propecia label to include libido disorders, ejaculation disorders, and orgasm disorders that continued after discontinuation of the drug.
A revision to the Proscar label to include decreased libido that continued after discontinuation of the drug.
A revision to both the Propecia and Proscar labels to include a description of reports of male infertility and/or poor semen quality that normalized or improved after drug discontinuation.”
The Propecia Warning Label shows large relative increases over placebo in risk for decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, ejaculation disorder, and decreased volume of ejaculate.
Furthermore, a number of scientific studies have illustrated this link between Propecia and long-term sexual side effects. In 2003, a study published in International Journal of Impotence Research by D.J. Carbone Jr. and S. Hodges titled “Medical therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia: sexual dysfunction and impact on quality of life.” found that “treatment with the 5 … finasteride is associated with problems of ejaculation (2.1-7.7%), erection (4.9-15.8%), and libido (3.1-5.4%)”. Each of these rates is higher than that reported in the warning label for Proscar or Propecia.
A 2007 study by N. Mondaini et al. published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine titled “Finasteride 5 mg and sexual side effects: how many of these are related to a nocebo phenomenon?” found “The incidence of ED, decreased libido, and ejaculation disorders were 9.6, 7.7, and 5.7% for [the control group], and 30.9, 23.6, and 16.3% for [the finasteride group], respectively”.
In early 2012, a paper published in Indian Dermatology Online Journal titled simply “Finasteride and sexual side effects” cites a great deal of research linking finasteride use with sexual side effects.
Since the FDA required that Merck change the Propecia and Proscar warning labels, a number of other studies have been published demonstrating that Propecia and Proscar carry the risk for long-term sexual side-effects.
Propecia / Proscar Lawsuits
Due to the fact that Merck & Co., Inc. failed time and again to adequately warn users of sexual side-effects associated with their products, a number of Propecia lawsuits and Proscar lawsuits are currently being filed. If you or a loved one used Propecia or Proscar and suffered sexual side-effects as a result, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation. For a free, no-obligation case consultation, contact our team of Propecia lawyers and Proscar lawyers at the information provided below. We have the experience, resources, and skills required to win the justice you deserve. Call today and see how we can help.
(855) 452 – 5529