President Trump Revealed as a Propecia Patient, But Not Everyone Follows His Lead

Washington, DCThe campaign for, and ultimate ascension to the Oval Office by Donald S. Trump has placed a renewed focus on his hair, and what he does to maintain it. As shallow as that appears on the surface, especially in light of the various policy statements, positions and appointments which have peppered the first 100 days of the Trump Administration, it remains a fact that the President’s coiffure remains an ongoing fascination. Is Propecia finasteride a part of that equation?

According to Kaiser Health News (03/01/17), the 45th President does, indeed maintain his orange crown with Propecia help – this, according to a release of the medications President Trump routinely uses. Bruce Horovitz, writing in Kaiser Health News, reports that Trump takes a daily, low-dose aspirin to ward against blood clots as well as a statin to control his cholesterol, treatments not unlike most men in his age group routinely maintain.

However, Kaiser Health News reports that a recent story in The New York Times (02/01/17) revealed information stemming from a release by Trump’s personal physician, Harold N. Bornstein, that his patient is also prescribed Propecia.

It is not known if the President suffers, or has ever suffered from any number of Propecia side effects associated with finasteride. However, for a growing collection of patients those side effects include Propecia impotence and Propecia sexual dysfunction. Horovitz, writing in Kaiser Health News, notes that the number of Propecia finasteride lawsuits number, by one count, above 1,300 cases.

Plaintiffs allege that they experienced reduced sex drive, impotence and reduced sexual function as the result of using Propecia. Upon stopping the drug, sexual function resumed for some. But not all, with some plaintiffs reporting Propecia impotence months after stopping Propecia, or longer. In rare cases, normal sexual function has not returned. Some suicides have been linked to Propecia sexual dysfunction, or so it has been alleged, in rare cases.

Horovitz notes that finasteride works by blocking the body’s capacity to turn testosterone into dihydrotestosterone or DHT, a hormonal change that prevents hair loss and the related fallout from the prematurely balding male scalp (androgenetic alopecia).

Propecia side effects can also include memory loss. It has also been alleged by some 50 plaintiffs that Propecia has caused, or may cause male breast cancer, testicular cancer or prostate cancer. The irony here is that a cousin of Propecia – Proscar – is essentially finasteride with a dosage five times that of Propecia. Proscar is indicated for the treatment of enlarged prostate. The Proscar and Propecia disconnect has given pundits much to talk about.

The primary side effect of Propecia however remains Propecia impotence and the potential for Propecia sexual dysfunction. A Propecia bellwether trial within multidistrict litigation, originally scheduled for last year, has been delayed until September.