Finasteride Versus Dutasteride: A Real-World Economic Evaluation

The study conducted a real-world economic evaluation comparing dutasteride and finasteride for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia in male patients over 50 years old. Using data from over 45 million patients, it was found that patients treated with dutasteride incurred $20.50 less per month in medical costs compared to those treated with finasteride. This cost reduction was primarily due to lower inpatient hospitalization charges for dutasteride patients. The study suggested that healthcare plans should consider these cost differences alongside pharmaceutical expenditures when evaluating these two 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5ARIs).