Urgent warning for men taking Donald Trump’s hair loss drug as health chiefs warn finasteride could cause depression, insomnia, low libido and erectile dysfunction
Men taking a commonly used hair loss drug were today warned about the risk of serious psychiatric and sexual side effects.
Safety concerns mean Britons must now stop taking finasteride immediately if they develop depression or suicidal thoughts.
Health officials warn that the daily pill, used by millions of men around the world, can also cause low libido and erectile dysfunction.
In some cases, the alarming effects persisted even after men stopped taking the drug, in what patients have called “post-finasteride syndrome.”
Finasteride was famously used by US President Donald Trump. It is prescribed by the NHS for men with an enlarged prostate.
Safety concerns mean Britons must now stop taking finasteride immediately if they develop depression or suicidal thoughts. Health officials warn that the daily pill, used by millions of men around the world, can also cause low libido and erectile dysfunction. In some cases, the alarming effects persisted even after men stopped taking the drug, in what patients have called “post-finasteride syndrome.”
Finasteride was famously used by US President Donald Trump. It is prescribed by the NHS for men with an enlarged prostate. But the exact number of users in Britain is unclear as the drug is not provided for hair loss on the NHS, and is instead only available privately.
But the exact number of users in Britain is unclear as the drug is not provided for hair loss by the NHS, but is instead only available privately.
Warnings about the side effects of finasteride follow a safety review by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which monitors the safety of medicines used in Britain.
This was driven by a threefold increase since 2020 in the number of men reporting serious side effects, including depression, insomnia, low libido and erectile dysfunction.
Dr. Alison Cave, chief safety officer of the MHRA, said: ‘It is crucial that patients are aware of vital information about the medicines they are taking.’
Warning cards warning of possible side effects will be included in finasteride packs later this year.
Dr. Cave added: ‘The patient alert cards are intended to make men taking finasteride aware of the potential for psychiatric and sexual side effects, so that they can make an informed decision about their treatment and know what to do if they experience these side effects.
‘If you are taking finasteride 1 mg (Propecia) for hair loss and develop depression or suicidal thoughts, stop treatment and contact your doctor.
‘If these symptoms occur when using finasteride 5 mg (Proscar), for benign enlargement of the prostate, consult your doctor immediately for further advice.
‘Any concern about sexual dysfunction should be discussed with your healthcare provider.
‘Remember to always read the package leaflet in the pack as it contains important information about the use of finasteride and its possible side effects.’
Finasteride was originally developed in the 1980s by Merck and Co for the treatment of an enlarged prostate.
Users soon started seeing unexpected hair growth, which led to using it for that reason.
It works by blocking the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone or DHT. DHT can cause the prostate to enlarge.
It is believed that high levels of DHT lead to hair loss by shrinking the follicles on the scalp, hence it can address hair loss.
Experts have previously suggested that the increase in side effect reports could be due to online companies selling finasteride to treat hair loss via private prescription. Men can easily order the medicine online.
The NHS says serious side effects are ‘rare’ and affect fewer than one in a thousand people.
According to the latest NHS data, almost 4.1 million prescriptions for enlarged prostate were given by GPs and other practitioners in England alone in the 2022/2023 financial year.
Merck & Co has long denied any link with serious long-term side effects.
However, the US-based pharmaceutical company has paid millions of dollars to settle lawsuits with patients in America.
In 2021, Reuters reported that it had obtained US court documents showing that US watchdogs had received more than 700 reports of suicide and suicidal ideation linked to the drug since 2011.
MHRA bosses received the first such report in the early 1990s.
Since then, there have been nearly 300 reports of depressive mood disorders and suicidal and self-harming behavior associated with finasteride.
More than 400 have also been linked to sexual dysfunction.
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