Proscar lawsuit claims & settlements – Prostate Cancer Risk
Proscar was originally intended just to treat BPH, benign prostatic hyperplasia, but Merck later discovered a lucrative side effect of Proscar – patients began to grow hair. By dropping the dosage of finasteride to 1mg, researchers found a way to correct male pattern baldness.
Although it was a victory for bald men everywhere, the downfall was the side effects. When the drug was approved by the FDA, Merck disclosed that 3.8% of Proscar patients had one or more negative sexual side effects, compared to the 2.1% of patients that took the placebo.
As men get older, they face some common challenges. Like women, they deal with aches and pains that seem to develop out of nowhere. They may struggle with moving around and keeping their balance, and they may have a hard time seeing what they used to see easily. Men in particular will often face the difficulties associated with an enlarged prostate, and this is a condition that can be more than simply irritating. It can be painful and unmanageable without the help of medication that is designed to alleviate these symptoms and minimize the discomfort.
One of the leading medications that has been released onto the marketplace in recent years that is designed to deal with the problem of enlarged prostates is known as Proscar. Proscar seemed to work quite well for a time, but it wasn’t long before allegations of Proscar side effects began to arise. These alleged side effects ranged in severity from serious to dangerous and deadly. Below you will find a brief overview of the issues that relate to Proscar and its alleged side effects faced by unsuspecting consumers.
What is Proscar used for?
Proscar (Generic: Finasteride) was originally approved for use in the United States by the FDA in the 1990’s, and the manufacturer of Proscar is Merck & Co. Proscar was approved by the FDA to treat what is known in the medical world as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. BPH is also commonly known as mild prostate enlargement. Proscar works by lowering the levels of hormones produced by the prostate and as a result prompt the prostate to become smaller. The active ingredient in Proscar, finasteride, is also used in Merck’s medication Propecia that treats male pattern baldness.
Prostate Cancer
In 2011, the FDA released a safety announcement warning that Proscar, along with another brand Propecia, may increase the risk for a serious form of prostate cancer. High-grade prostate cancer is highly aggressive and spreads quickly, usually to areas such as the lymph nodes and bones. Although the risk is low, the FDA still made the announcement to inform doctors and patients of the safety issue.
Allegations of Proscar Side Effects
As stated above, several allegations of Proscar side effects began to arise and many of them involved extremely dangerous conditions. Examples of these side effects include:
- Erectile dysfunction
- Loss of libido
- Ejaculation problems
- Testicular pain
- Male breast cancer
- Aggressive prostate cancer
Clearly, any form of cancer is dangerous, but aggressive prostate cancer is particularly troubling because it is a difficult form of cancer to overcome.
Men who wanted to treat a very common problem with what should be a safe form of medication were most likely stunned to learn that they were dealing with any of these alleged Proscar side effects. Unfortunately, those men may have also realized that they were dealing with a corporate giant if they attempted to recover any type of compensation for the extreme harm that they suffered. When one side of a controversy has billions of dollars in resources and the other does not, the situation is often simply unfair in terms of obtaining justice.
Questions & Answers About Proscar
What is Proscar?
Proscar is a drug used to treat an enlarged prostate in men and helps with hair growth in male pattern baldness.
What are the side effects from taking Proscar?
There are several side effects associated with taking Proscar. Some of the more serious side effects include:
- Erectile dysfunction
- Decreased libido
- Ejaculatory disorder
Is Proscar dangerous to women?
When tested on rats, Proscar caused birth defects in male fetuses when a large amount of Proscar was given to rats. When the pregnant mother was exposed to Proscar, it caused abnormalities in the genitalia of the male fetuses. The defect hypospadis was present in male fetuses, which is when the urethra opens onto the undersurface of the penis, instead of the end. This was the basis for all the warnings for women to stay away from Proscar.
Proscar Lawsuits
Men who have suffered from Proscar sexual side effects or were unfortunately diagnosed with breast or prostate cancer after taking this drug have the right to file a lawsuit.
In Sweden, officials asked Merck eight years ago to include in the warning label the possibility of persistent erectile dysfunction continuing after use discontinued, and in 2008, the company agreed to do so.
As of 2013, Merck & Co has been named in 265 lawsuits in New York and New Jersey alone over the sexual side effects of Proscar and Propecia.
That’s where the Proscar side effects lawyers at the Hood National Law Group, come in, as we have been representing individual consumers successfully across the United States for decades. If you or someone you love has been harmed as a result of using Proscar, contact the firm today to schedule a free initial consultation.
Proscar Lawsuits in these States:
Alabama (AL), Alaska (AK), Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Connecticut (CT), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Hawaii (HI), Idaho (ID), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN), Iowa (IA), Kansas (KS), Kentucky (KY), Louisiana (LA), Maine (ME), Maryland (MD), Massachusetts (MA), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Mississippi (MS), Missouri (MO), Montana (MT), Nebraska (NE), Nevada (NV), New Hampshire (NH), New Jersey (NJ), New Mexico (NM), New York (NY), North Carolina (NC), North Dakota (ND), Ohio(OH), Oklahoma (OK), Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Rhode Island (RI), South Carolina (SC), South Dakota (SD), Tennessee (TN), Texas (TX), Utah (UT), Vermont (VT), Virginia (VI), Washington (WA), Washington DC (DC), West Virginia (WV), Wisconsin (WI), Wyoming (WY)
Proscar lawsuit for cancer injury page updated on June 10, 2015
Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/04/02/propecia-proscar-lawsuit-erectile-dysfunction_n_3001721.html
http://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-4496-167/proscar-oral/finasteride-oral/details
