Kansas City, MO (PRWEB) June 14, 2013 The birth control safety advocates at DrugRisk.com are announcing new information on the site for women who have used the vaginal ring contraceptive NuvaRing. A federal panel recently ruled that five patients filing cases in California alleging blood clot injuries will have to join the multi-district litigation in Missouri*. DrugRisk was created to improve the safety of patients using popular prescription drugs and devices by providing the latest warnings, research, legal news and recalls. Visitors can find out if others are experiencing similar side effects and decide if they need legal advice. Health experts have linked contraceptives like NuvaRing to higher risks of blood clots than traditional birth control pills. Last year, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study finding vaginal ring contraceptives could relate to a 2.5 to 3-fold increased risk of blood clots**. With over a thousand patients filing a NuvaRing lawsuit alleging blood clots, many cases were consolidated to a special federal court in Missouri. The formal case is known as In re: NuvaRing Products Liability Litigation, No. 08-md-1964, JPML, Eastern District Missouri. Recently, DrugRisk learned that five patients filed claims in Illinois*** and others attempted to have … Continue reading →

Some men who take the drug finasteride (Propecia) to slow a receding hair line may also find it reduces their interest in drinking alcohol, new research reveals. Almost two-thirds of the men in the study noticed they were drinking less alcohol than before taking Propecia, said study researcher Dr. Michael Irwig, an endocrinologist and assistant professor of medicine at George Washington University School of Medicine. But the decrease in drinking seen in the study may not be found in all men who use the popular hair-loss treatment. (A higher dose of finasteride is also prescribed to men for an enlarged prostate, and is sold as Proscar.) The study, which was aimed at better understanding the drug's sexual side effects, looked at only younger men, ages 46 and under, who had quit taking the medication for male-pattern hair loss for at least three months, yet continued to experience effects such as a reduced sex drive and erectile dysfunction. Although the exact mechanism for reduced alcohol consumption is not known, Irwig said he suspects that Propecia interferes with the brain's ability to make certain hormones, known as neurosteroids, which are likely linked to drinking alcohol. The findings are the first to link … Continue reading →

Men with sexual side effects appear to drink less, even after they stop taking the drug WebMD News from HealthDay By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter THURSDAY, June 13 (HealthDay News) -- Some men who use finasteride (Propecia) to help battle baldness may also be drinking less alcohol, a new study suggests. Among the potential side effects of the hair-restoring drug are a reduced sex drive, depression and suicidal thoughts. And it's men who have sexual side effects who also appear to want to drink less, the researchers report. "In men experiencing persistent sexual side effects despite stopping finasteride, two-thirds have noticed drinking less alcohol than before taking finasteride," said study author Dr. Michael Irwig, an assistant professor of medicine at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C. Although it isn't clear why the medication might have this effect, Irwig thinks the drug may alter the brain's chemistry. "Finasteride interferes with the brain's ability to make certain hormones called neurosteroids, which are likely linked to drinking alcohol," he said. "For younger men contemplating the use of finasteride for male pattern hair loss, they should carefully balance the modest cosmetic benefits of less hair loss versus some … Continue reading →