Emerging evidence & commentary on risks of finasteride as a treatment for hair loss
KEY POINTS In 2010, Merck requested to add ‘depression’ to adverse events in the Propecia label. A safety group within FDA concurred, and also recommended adding ‘suicidal thoughts and behavior.’ FDA’s dermatology products group did not support adding a suicidality warning. Only ‘depression’ was added to the label in 2011. Over a decade later, in … Read more
These documents from 2006–2009 concern Merck’s response to postmarketing reports of persistent erectile dysfunction, male infertility and depressive disorders, among other adverse events, associated with use of finasteride. In 2006, the Swedish Medical Products Agency asked Merck for an analysis of all adverse events affecting the male reproductive system which persisted after stopping Propecia. In … Read more
Merck first developed finasteride for benign prostatic hyperplasia, a condition typically found in men aged 55 and older. After receiving approval for the application in 1992 and bringing the drug to market as Proscar, Merck decided to seek approval of finasteride for male pattern hair loss—to be branded as Propecia. In a 1994 memo below, … Read more
In its Drugs@FDA database, FDA has at least nine versions of the Propecia label going back to 2001. This post will trace the history of changes to adverse effects in the label for consumers. A summary of label changes: 2001 – “Side effects went away in men who stopped taking Propecia” 2002 – Testicular pain … Read more