Emerging evidence & commentary on risks of finasteride as a treatment for hair loss
On November 6, Dr. Andrew Huberman spoke to guest Dr. Michael Eisenberg, a urologist and professor at Stanford Health Care in California. In one segment, they discussed post-finasteride syndrome.
Physicians have used flimsy arguments to cast doubt on 5-alpha syndrome. They overlook social context, misread literature, omit inconvenient facts and disparage patients. Rebuttals for each of these arguments are provided.
Dr. Schaeffer, Chair of Urology at Feinberg School of Medicine, does not recommend finasteride for any man. The prostate cancer expert says he knows people who have post-finasteride syndrome “permanently.” Dr. Edward Schaeffer recently spoke about post-finasteride syndrome on The Peter Attia Drive Podcast, in an episode on prostate health. Dr. Schaeffer is Chair of … Read more
A drug-induced syndrome is all in the mind, a Swiss doctor wrote. Editors of the journals had past ties to the drug maker. Men turn to finasteride to try to save their hair, but they might end up with a severe and lasting disability.1 There are countless stories online, usually anonymous because of the embarrassing … Read more
Over the past 25 years, finasteride harms have spread invisibly, altering lives and giving rise to confusion and disagreement. This post identifies common themes across all these spheres. Many of these have to do with biases, omissions and collusion among industry, physicians and regulators.
A 2018 article disclosed that Dr. Kevin McVary had been retained as an expert for Merck’s defense in litigation regarding persistent adverse effects (AEs) of finasteride.1 Dr. McVary has also been relatively active as a contributor of three conference abstracts, an original article, an expert review, a quote in a media story and a symposium presentation … Read more
These have been compiled from social media. Links to original posts and comments are provided after each quote. This is not some easy cure-pill… I know enough now… this drug is def not worth it. Dangerous. This drug was beyond serious for me. Was on it for nearly 5 months straight. Knew what I was … Read more
Summary It cannot simultaneously be true that finasteride is considered “safe” as a treatment for male pattern hair loss and that the drug causes severe and permanent sexual dysfunction in some men. Since 2011, dozens of papers have investigated its adverse effects, with some concluding that finasteride is safe for treating hair loss despite complaints … Read more
In eight years of thinking and talking about health problems which I believe resulted from taking finasteride, reactions from others have ranged from compassion to curiosity, skepticism and stonewalling. Symptoms include numb genitals and total loss of sexual desire. When bringing these up, I feel I am testing the boundaries of propriety. When people feel … Read more