Hair loss drug, Propecia, allegedly induces suicidal thoughts, sexual dysfunction, depression, and weight gain in the men who took it, according to over 1,100 lawsuits filed around the U.S. Merck had apparently known years ago of the risks, but downplayed them or hid them from the public altogether. The documents in one case were sealed by the judge, a tragically common practice in product liability cases. From Reuters:
“Such court-sanctioned secrecy has become the lethal norm in product-liability litigation in the United States. As Reuters reported in June, judges in large product-liability cases routinely seal evidence relevant to public health and safety. As a result, hundreds of thousands of Americans have been killed or seriously injured by allegedly defective products — cars, drugs, guns, medical devices — while evidence that could have alerted consumers and regulators to potential danger remained under seal.”
