Wife's Horror: Parkinson's Drug Fuels Sex Addiction

A Parkinson's sufferer's wife described how a prescribed medication, Pramipexole, led to severe compulsive sexual behavior in her husband, transforming him into someone she barely recognized. The drug, which helped his Parkinson's symptoms, reportedly caused him to become a "sex addict" overnight. He developed an obsession with pornography and demanded sex multiple times daily, behaviors for which the accompanying drug leaflet offered little warning.

Despite the drug's efficacy for Parkinson's, the husband would have been mortified by these side effects. His wife noted that the official leaflet classified such impulse control disorders as "uncommon," affecting less than one percent of patients. However, a 2010 study, partly funded by the manufacturer, suggested the actual figure was closer to 17%, yet the warning was never updated.

Pramipexole is one of eight dopamine agonist drugs prescribed over 1.5 million times last year in the UK for Parkinson's and other conditions. The drug manufacturer stated they adhere to international guidelines for side-effect frequencies. Following concerning incidents, including a solicitor who stole from pensioners to fund sex sprees due to the drug, the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency announced a substantial review of dopamine agonist drugs to address discrepancies in leaflet warnings.