5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitor Related Litigation: A Legal Database Review

The document reviews 156 legal cases from April 2003 to May 2021 involving 5α-reductase inhibitors, drugs used to treat male pattern hair loss and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Only 18 cases met the inclusion criteria. The most common complaints were medication side effects (66.7%), delayed cancer diagnosis (16.7%), and lack of symptom improvement (16.7%). The plaintiffs were usually the patients (83.3%), and the defendants were pharmaceutical companies (33.3%), a combination of parties (27.8%), and physicians (27.8%). Allegations included sexual side effects like erectile dysfunction (33.3%) and decreased libido (22.2%). No judgment against a physician or pharmaceutical company was found, but many lawsuits were settled out of court, including a $4.3 million settlement. The study concludes that litigation around 5α-reductase inhibitors may increase in the future.