Baldness and Enlarged Prostate Drugs Propecia and Proscar Could Cause Long-Term Sexual Side Effects Even After Discontinuation

(New York, NY, July 16, 2012) The Rottenstein Law Group, which represents clients with claims stemming from dangerous prescription drugs and defective medical devices, has learned that the drug finasteride, marketed as Propecia and Proscar, and manufactured by Merck & Co., used to treat both male pattern baldness and enlarged prostates, might cause sexual side effects that could last long after the medication is discontinued.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated the drugs' warning labels in April to include potential side effects such as "libido disorders, ejaculation disorders, and orgasm disorders that continue after discontinuation of the drug and that Proscar can lead to decreased libido that continues after quitting the drug." Additionally, both medications were to receive updated warnings pertaining to reports of "male infertility" and "poor semen quality" that returned to normal after stopping the drug.

Now, according to a July 12, 2012 article that appears on Time Magazine's Heallthland Web site, a new study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine finds that the side effects associated with Propecia and Proscar could not only continue after stopping the drugs, they could last for months or even years.

The study, conducted by Dr. Michael Irwig of George Washington University, surveyed data from 54 men under the age of 40 who reported experiencing side effects after stopping Propecia that lasted for three months or more. Those side effects included "erectile dysfunction, low libido, trouble having an orgasm and shrinking and painful genitals." Additionally, some men who participated in the study complained of depression, anxiety and "cognitive haziness."

For 96 percent of the men in the study, the sexual side effects lasted for more than a year after they stopped taking the drug. None of them had any history of sexual, psychological or medical difficulties before they began taking the drug.

Although the study sample is considered small, the authors argue that their findings may signal potential serious side effects for men who use the drug to treat baldness or an enlarged prostate. "Our findings make me suspicious that this drug may have done permanent damage to these men," Dr. Irwig told ABC News in an interview. Both Merck and the FDA still maintain that the drug is safe and effective.

The Rottenstein Law Group maintains a Propecia Lawsuit Information Center at www.rotlaw.com/propecia/, where visitors can find valuable information about the drug and its potentially harmful side effects. The site includes easy-to-use social media features that allow for easy sharing on sites like Facebook and Twitter. Visitors are also encouraged to link to their own Web sites and blogs in order to spread the word about defective medical products and dangerous drugs.

About the Rottenstein Law Group
The Rottenstein Law Group is a New York-based law firm that represents clients in mass tort actions. The firm was founded by Rochelle Rottenstein, a lawyer with over two decades of experience in compassionate representation of clients in consumer product injury, mass tort, and class action law suits. For more information, please visit its Web site at www.rotlaw.com, or call (888) 9-ROT-LAW. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.