A Washington man has filed a
product liability lawsuit against Merck & Co. over sexual
dysfunction side effects of Propecia, the popular male pattern
baldness drug.
Paul Dawson, 26, filed a Propecia impotence lawsuit on August 18 in
the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington,
indicating that he has experienced a number of sexual problems after
taking the hair-loss drug.
Merck faces a growing number of similar Propecia lawsuits filed by
men who allege that the drug maker failed to adequately warn about
the risk that the medication may lead to permanent and irreversible
problems, such as impotence, erectile dysfunction, infertility and
other sexual dysfunction.
According to Dawson’s Propecia suit, he began using the medication
in February 2008 to reverse the effects of male pattern hair loss.
In August 2008, the 26 year-old reported to his doctor that he was
suffering from sexual dysfunction, inculding decreased libido,
impotence, anxiety and depression.
Dawson alleges that he continues to suffer injuries from Propecia,
such as erectile dysfunction, loss of sexual sensation, decreased
semen output, testicular pain and emotional issues. He also alleges
that he would not have used Propecia if he or his physician had been
warned about the risk of these permanent problems.
In the United States, the warnings for Propecia indicate that the
small number of men who experienced sexual side effects while taking
the medication during clinical trials had the dysfunction resolve
after stopping the medication. However, recent research and numerous
post-marketing reports involving men like Dawson who have
experienced continuing Propecia sexual dysfunction suggest that
these statements are false and misleading.
In several European countries, Merck updated the Propecia warning
label as early as 2008 to indicate that some men experienced
persistent erectile dysfunction problems from Propecia. However,
users and doctors in the United States still have not receive that
warning.
Propecia (finasteride) is approved for the treatment of male pattern
baldness. It is a low-dose version of Proscar, approved in 1992 for
the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
In March, researchers from the U.S. published a study in the Journal
of Sexual Medicine that found Propecia side effects were linked to
sexual problems in men. Researchers indicated that the class of
drugs known as 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors can cause loss of
libido, depression erectile dysfunction, reduced semen production
and growth of male breast tissue. They also agreed that in some
cases these side effects appeared to be permanent.
Dawson’s lawsuit charges Merck with product liability, breach of
warranty, misrepresentation, and violating Washington state unfair
business practices. He is seeking damages for physical and emotional
injury, lost wages and medical expenses.
Source
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