Integrated Testing Strategy for the Study of the Effects of the Human Pharmaceutical Dutasteride on Fish

The study investigated the effects of the pharmaceutical dutasteride on the fathead minnow, focusing on its potential to disrupt endocrine functions by inhibiting 5α-reductase activity. The research found that dutasteride caused significant adverse effects in fish at concentrations of 32 μg/L or higher, affecting all life stages and particularly disrupting androgenic pathways in females. Despite these findings, the study concluded that dutasteride's presence in the environment likely did not pose a risk to wild fish populations due to the high concentrations needed to elicit effects and the low annual prescription volume. However, the potential for bioaccumulation suggested that further research was necessary to fully understand its ecological impact.