Emerging evidence & commentary on risks of finasteride as a treatment for hair loss
Fitness influencers draw in an audience of younger men who want to be stronger, better-performing, and in some cases more attractive. Some guys worry that hair loss will dim their prospects for dating, sex and relationships—or even professional success. In the era of Instagram, body-hacking and telehealth companies such as Hims and Keeps, young men’s … 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.
Alan, a 28-year-old man who experiencing hair loss, is participating in the Propecia clinical trial. Alan brings high hopes that the new drug will stop hair loss. An investigator examines Alan’s scalp and hair, recording figures on a form. She asks Alan if he experienced any side effects. None, he replies. He is then given a form to fill out…
Since online polls are anonymous, there is less risk to disclosing embarrassing side effects. In online polls, the rate of side effects was 6.2x greater than the rate of adverse events in a clinical trial. The clinical setting may suppress safety concerns in sensitive areas such as sexuality and mental state.
Physician-researchers blamed growing safety concerns on patients, overlooking social context and weaknesses in safety regime The official view of Propecia, fashioned by Merck at a reported cost of $450 million, is that the drug is safe and effective. Upon approval by FDA in 1997, this view was carried forward by dermatologists, some of whom were … Read more