Merck's Drug Propecia Linked To Sexual Dysfunction 235
zaxios writes "Merck — the pharmaceutical giant previously featured on Slashdot for drawing up a 'hit list' of doctors that criticized its drug Vioxx, and creating a fake medical journal to endorse its products — is embroiled in a new scandal. USA Today is reporting on two new studies that show Propecia, Merck's $250 million prescription medication for baldness, can make men irreversibly impotent. Lawsuits have been filed in the United States and Canada from men claiming to have permanently lost their sexual function after taking the drug. All this is reminiscent of Merck's difficulties with Vioxx, a once $2.5-billion-a-year drug, which was withdrawn from the market in 2004 after a study showed it doubled the risk of heart attack and stroke in users."
This drug really screws up female fertility (Score:5, Interesting)
20 years ago, I knew a lady who worked at Merck, about the time Propecia was "discovered". In reality, it was developed as a drug for another purpose (something to do with the prostate) and the hair growth was a side effect. She, and no other females, were allowed in the production area, as exposure caused irreversible infertility in females, and it was really bad for pregnant women.
Not surprised (Score:5, Interesting)
I'm transsexual and take testosterone blockers in order to help feminise my body, and changes in sex drive were quite noticeable. Propecia's active substance, finasteride, is essentially a testosterone blocker ( thou admittedly a weaker one than what I am taking ) so I'm not at all surprised it can have such side effects.
Re:Nah (Score:4, Interesting)
I always think of this whenever the subject of hair loss/baldness comes up:
As for me, I'm approaching 50, don't have quite as much hair as I used to, and I'm now living with the most womderful (and goddamned gorgeous) woman it's ever been my pleasure to be with.
ExecSummary: Whenever one of those Hair Club For Men adverts comes on telly, I just laugh all the way to the bedroom. :)
Re:Thought they knew that years ago (Score:4, Interesting)
There's a similar problem with women's birth control pills:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/35663.php [medicalnewstoday.com]
Messing with hormones could also alter the sort of people you find attractive:
http://www.livescience.com/2781-pill-women-pick-bad-mates.html [livescience.com]
Comment removed (Score:4, Interesting)
Read more carefully: 'irreversible' impotence (Score:5, Interesting)
In fact, it remains a mystery how the drug could have this effect: its half life is only a few days, and it really should be ceasing any effect within that time. At least one doctor (Dr Alan Jacobs, a neuroendocrinologist in NYC) is speculating that Propecia is inducing permanent changes to the expression of genes governing the androgen system. IANAD so I express no view on that.
If you want to learn more about this issue, go to propeciahelp.com. There are people there who have been suffering from post-Propecia symptoms - not just sexual dysfunction, but other symptoms associated with low testosterone like cognitive impairment, fatigue, etc - for upwards of 10 years after stopping Propecia. If that's not worth a big payout from a pharma company that expressly told that that all side effects would cease after taking the medication, I'm not sure what is.
Re:Frankly this lawsuit shit.. (Score:2, Interesting)
I take finasteride (Propecia in american) and it was advertised to me as a loss of libido, the desire, not impotence; the ability. I noticed it hugely at first but recently it's returning while I'm taking the same amount. 5-HTP increasing serotonin might be the culprit. Regardless, the libido-loss is marketed as temporary. Why on earth would one presume that if something is labelled as temporary that they should be prepared for permanence?! I'd be upset if codeine phosphate induced permanent drowsiness in me or zolpidem put me in a permanent coma. You maniac haha.