Young Patients Using Finasteride Exhibit Risk of Suicidality
February 2021
in “
The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update
”
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Studysummary Finasteride use in young people may increase risk of suicidal thoughts and mental health issues. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
A pharmacovigilance study using World Health Organization VigiBase data found a significant disproportionality signal for suicidality and depression or anxiety in young patients using finasteride to treat male-pattern baldness. The study's authors suggest that adverse effects, such as persistent sexual dysfunction, may have a greater toll on younger patients using finasteride to treat a nonurological condition. The researchers did not find a similar risk of suicidality with use of other drugs to treat male-pattern baldness.
