Submission + - Merck's Drug Propecia Causing Sexual Dysfunction 2
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 that 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 All this is reminiscent of Merck's difficulties with Vioxx, a once $2.5 billion a year drug withdrawn from the market in 2004, after a study showed it doubled the risk of heart attack and stroke in users. That led to a $4.85 billion settlement by Merck for personal injury claims."
