Anti-baldness Drug May Cause Permanent Erectile Dysfunction

TOLEDO, OHIO, January 16, 2011 (Press-News.org) Finasteride was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1997 as a prescription-only treatment for male pattern baldness (MPB). This drug is manufactured by the NJ-based pharmaceutical company Merck, and marketed worldwide under the trade name Propecia. Clinical trials have proved that Propecia is very effective at stopping hair fall associated with male pattern baldness. In clinical tests, 9 out of 10 men who took Propecia noticed hair loss stop, and some of them even reported regrowth of hair. (source: propecia.com)

There are several reported side effects of Propecia, which (according to Merck's website) include the following: allergic reactions including rash, itching, hives, and swelling of the lips and face; problems with ejaculation; breast tenderness and enlargement; and testicular pain. Merck have recently, and after receiving many complaints from consumers, updated the drug's label and added new warnings that Propecia may cause sexual side effects. The noted sex-related side effects include decreased libido (sex drive), decrease in the amount of semen, and erectile dysfunction. Merck also say that these side effects will go away after stopping the treatment, but will they?

A recent news article published on BBC's website tells the story of James, a 26-year-old man from Edinburgh - UK, who started taking Propecia after noticing that his hair was continuously falling.

"I went onto the Internet and researched it. I found out there was a drug called Propecia, and soon enough I started buying that and it worked a treat." - James told BBC reporter Simon Mundie.

After a while of using Propecia James started experiencing less interest in sex. So, he stopped taking the drug thinking those side effects will diminish, but "things soon got worse" - he said.

"After about three weeks all hell broke loose. I more or less became completely impotent."

So, James went to see a physician a few months later, who put him on testosterone therapy. However, that did not work for him and he was left with only one choice: a penile implant.

There are doctors in the U.S. who claim that cases like James's are common, and warn users that Propecia may have long-term sexual side effects.

Propecia is not the only medication that may cause erection problems. There are many other FDA-approved treatments that may lead to erectile dysfunction as a side effect. These include, but are not limited to, antidepressants (like Valium, Prozac, Ativan, and others), antihistamine medications (like Tagamet, Zantac, and others), high blood pressure drugs (like Inderal, Aldactone, and others), Parkinson's disease medications, chemotherapy and hormonal medications, and other medications. (source: National Institutes of Health)

The ED and men's health dedicated website BuyViagraPillsOnline.com follows all news and events that have to do with erectile dysfunction, and will keep its users updated about the safety of Propecia and other drugs that may have sexual side effects.