Propecia Impotence Lawsuit Filed by 26 Year Old Man

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.