A class of drugs commonly used to treat movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease and restless leg syndrome is pushing people into risky sexual behavior.
Patients taking dopamine agonists say the drugs have triggered uncontrollable impulses, including flashing, sex addiction and even pedophilia — leaving them struggling with feelings of shame and confusion.
Reports reviewed by the BBC suggest drugmaker GSK has known about the risk of so-called “deviant” sexual behavior since 2003, yet patients claim their doctors continue to fail to warn them about these potentially devastating side effects.
Dopamine agonists mimic dopamine, a key brain chemical that controls movement and is activated by pleasure. However, these drugs can overstimulate feelings of pleasure while dulling the brain’s ability to recognize the consequences of our actions.
This can lead to impulse control disorders, with studies showing 13% to 24% of Parkinson’s patients on dopamine agonists develop them. While a warning about these risky behaviors is listed alongside common side effects like nausea and insomnia, research suggests they often go unnoticed or undiagnosed.
In the US, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends the drugs only be used for short-term treatment, such as end-of-life care.
A 2003 report from GSK reviewed by BBC described two cases of deviant sexual behavior in men who were prescribed the dopamine agonists Ropinirole for Parkinson’s disease.
In one, a 63-year-old man sexually assaulted a 7-year-old girl. The report said the perpetrator’s libido had increased significantly from the start of his treatment and his “problem subsequently resolved” after his dose was reduced.
At least 20 women prescribed dopamine agonists for restless leg syndrome told the BBC that the drugs ruined their lives. Many said they weren’t warned about the serious side effects and had no idea what was causing their erratic behavior.
One woman, Claire, recounted how she began leaving her house in the early hours to search for sex. About a year after starting Ropinirole, which had initially relieved her RLS symptoms, she began experiencing overwhelming and unprecedented sexual urges.
Wearing a see-through top and jacket, she would regularly flash her chest at any man she could, despite having a partner.
“There remains an element in your head that knows what you’re doing is wrong, but it affects you to the point that you don’t know you’re doing it,” she told the BBC.
Claire said it took years to connect these urges to her medication — and they disappeared almost immediately when she stopped taking it. She now feels “shame” and is “mortified” at the dangerous situations she put herself in.
In many cases, the women told the BBC that their doctors failed to assess the impact of the medication on their bodies over time.
Sarah, who began taking a different dopamine agonist in her 50s, said her previously low sex drive skyrocketed to the point where she became fully addicted. She started selling underwear and explicit videos online, organizing phone sex with strangers and compulsively shopping — racking up $30,000 in debt.
To cope with the effects, she turned to self-medication, using pain-relieving opioids and sleeping pills. Ultimately, Sarah ended up in rehab, but that led to losing her driver’s license and her job.
“I turned to things that weren’t healthy — I knew that the behavior wasn’t me, but I couldn’t control it,” she told the BBC.
A class-action lawsuit was filed against GSK in 2011 by four Parkinson’s disease sufferers who claimed Ropinirole led to gambling debts and broken relationships.
They also argued that despite studies linking the drug to such behaviors as early as 2000, GSK had failed to include warnings in its product literature until March 2007. The case was settled, but GSK denied liability.
In a statement, GSK told the BBC that Ropinirole had been prescribed for more than 17 million treatments and undergone “extensive clinical trials.” It added the drug had proven to be effective and had a “characterized safety profile.”
“As with all medicines, [it] has potential side effects and these are clearly stated in the prescribing information,” it said.
In response to its 2003 research that had found a link with “deviant” sexual behavior, GSK told the BBC this was shared with health authorities and had informed updates in prescribing information — which now lists “altered or increased sexual interest” and “behavior of significant concern” as side effects.
GSK did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
