International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery Defends Propecia Based on Scientific Facts
Propecia, a drug considered as the most effective treatment for alopecia areata, has been engulfed in controversy recently because the drug was reported to have caused sexual dysfunction in some men.
However, The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), the world's leading medical authority on hair loss and hair restoration, maintains the efficacy and safety of the drug in treating hair loss.
The agency cautions that the recent anecdotal reports of persistent sexual dysfunction by some men who have used finasteride 1mg (Propecia) to treat hair loss should not define the safety and effectiveness of this drug.
"The health and well being of our patients is the utmost concern of the 900 physician members of the ISHRS -- whether prescribing medications like Propecia or performing hair restoration surgery," said ISHRS President Dr. Jennifer Martinick.
"ISHRS members devote an average of 72 percent of their practices to medically and surgically treating hair loss, and collectively they have treated millions of men around the world suffering from hair loss with finasteride 1mg with virtually no side effects."
The agency maintains that since FDA approved Proscar (finasteride 5mg) and Propecia (finasteride 1mg) for treating hair loss in December 1997, they have been recorded with a low adverse event profile. According to ISHRS, Proscar has been used by over 20.5 million patients while Propecia has been used by over 6.7 million patients.
Sexual dysfunction is a complex disorder, and it is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause. According to Dr. Martinick, multiple factors such as nicotine, alcohol, prescription medications, stress, anxiety, fatigue and depression can contribute to erectile dysfunction (ED). The incidence of ED in general population has also been high, with as high as 49 percent middle-aged and older men suffering from this disorder, according to one study published in 2006 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
ISHRS recently formed a task force to more closely examine anecdotal reports of sexual dysfunction by some Propecia users who have used the drug to treat hair loss. The agency has also called on the stakeholders including dermatologists, hair loss physicians, urologists, endocrinologists and sexual medicine specialists to join in a colloquium to share all data and experiences with finasteride in a fact-based manner.
By HairFear
