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The Post-Finasteride Syndrome Foundation (PFS Foundation) announced the funding of a second major clinical study on post-finasteride syndrome (PFS) at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) in Houston, Texas.
Titled “Genetic and Epigenetic Studies on Post-Finasteride Syndrome Patients,” the research is being led by Mohit Khera, M.D., M.B.A., M.P.H., Assistant Professor of Urology in the Scott Department of Urology and Director of the Laboratory for Andrology Research, McNair Medical Institute at BCM.
The objective of the study is to determine why PFS patients develop sexual dysfunction.
PFS has been reported to occur in men who have taken the prescription drug finasteride to treat hair loss (under the brand name Propecia and generics), or enlarged prostates (Proscar and generics).
Reported symptoms include loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, Peyronie’s disease, penile shrinkage, gynecomastia, muscle atrophy, cognitive impairment, severely dry skin, and depression. The condition often has a life-altering impact on victims and their families, such as job loss and the breakup of marriages and romantic relationships, while also being linked to suicides.
On July 1, the PFS Foundation announced the funding of its first clinical PFS study, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) in Boston, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. That study aims to identify causes of the condition at the molecular level.
“Coupled with the Brigham and Women’s Hospital study, the Baylor research promises to pave the way for PFS therapies by uncovering the root causes of this condition that is likely affecting thousands of men worldwide,” said PFS Foundation CEO Dr. John Santmann.
On April 11, 2012, the Food and Drug Administration ordered drug manufacturer Merck to revise the labeling on Propecia to reflect mounting evidence that it can cause persistent sexual dysfunction. Of the 421 Propecia-related sexual dysfunction cases reviewed by the FDA in its probe, 14 per cent lasted longer than three months after patients quit the drug.
About Dr. Mohit Khera: Specializing in andrology, sexual wellness and male reproductive medicine, Dr. Khera is Assistant Professor of Urology in the Scott Department of Urology and Director of the Laboratory for Andrology Research, McNair Medical Institute at the Baylor College of Medicine.
Baylor College of Medicine in Houston is recognized as a premier academic health science center and is known for excellence in education, research and patient care.
Headquartered in Somerset New Jersey, the Post-Finasteride Syndrome Foundation was established in July 2012 as a 501(c)(3) organization, with private grants from families in the US and abroad.
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