You can find anything you want on a forum and something to back it up no matter the drug. I took a zpak once and found sites like phelp making crazy claims. Every drug has it's conspiracy pushers.
This is not a "conspiracy" -- as discussed numerous times on this site, the fact this problem is recognized in official documentation and published by the regulatory agencies should be of concern to you. However, there are always those who will ignore such info irregardless, in their quest to save hair.
If people bothered to open the document and read it, they would find out what a joke these claims really are.
Since when is persistent ED after quitting the drug "a joke"? The fact you disbelieve this is even possible is a testament to your beliefs that the drug can do no harm.
Permanent ED is listed in the "frequency unknown" category underneath the listed side effects,
Exactly as you state: FREQUENCY UNKNOWN. Hence, nobody knows how often, or how little this problem occurs yet, because it hasn't been studied. But it's obviously been reported enough to the agencies for them to take action and force Merck to change their prescribing information. If that's not concerning enough to you, oh well -- continue to ignore such info and continue on as usual at your own peril.
which means they received complaints from a number of unverified users
Do you work for the Swedish MPA or UK MHRA? No. So you have no proof behind that statement, it is simply your opinion. Here's mine: most likely these complaints were from both consumers and more than likely, medical professionals on behalf of their patients submitting the adverse reports.
These effects weren't shown in any official medical study or trial, and have definitely not been proven.
That's because no study has been conducted on this problem, YET.
Since the Propecia FDA clinical trials in 97, new studies have emerged and leading researchers acknolwedge they still don't know the exact mechanism as to how it causes sexual dysfunction, and that more research is required.
Even back then, the FDA had it's reservations and admitted long-term adverse effects of the the drug remain unknown in young men.
Screenshots from...
A new look at the 5alpha-reductase inhibitor Finasteride (2006)
CNS Drug Rev. 2006 Spring;12(1):53-76.
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi- ... 4/PDFSTART
5-alpha reductase inhibitors and erectile dysfunction: the connection (2008)
Erdemir F, Harbin A, Hellstrom WJ.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entre ... s=19090946
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfd ... EDR_P4.PDF
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Anyway, you guys can shill for Propecia all you want. The information is out there about the potential risks, even if the frequency remains unknown. The point is, it's better to be informed rather than not about such things, so the consumer can make an informed decision one way or the other.