Consulting 'Dr. Google' for Finasteride Sexual Side Effects: A Contemporary Worldwide Trends Analysis
September 2021
in “
Fertility and Sterility
”
TLDR Public interest in finasteride's sexual side effects has significantly increased, highlighting the need for better patient discussions.
The study analyzed worldwide search-engine trends from 2004 to 2020 to assess public interest in finasteride and its sexual side effects, particularly after the FDA's 2012 warning about decreased libido and erectile dysfunction. The analysis showed a significant increase in search interest for "finasteride," "finasteride side effects," and "post-finasteride syndrome," with average annual percentage changes of +9.25%, +20.7%, and +29.2%, respectively. The findings indicated a heightened public awareness and suggested the need for more comprehensive discussions with patients about potential side effects before starting finasteride treatment.