Suicidal Risk Associated With Finasteride Versus Dutasteride Among Men Treated for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Nationwide Cohort Study

March 2023 in “ Scientific Reports ”

Moussa Laanani, Alain Weill, Fabrice Jollant, Mahmoud Zureik, R. Dray‐Spira

finasteride dutasteride benign prostatic hyperplasia BPH androgenetic alopecia mood disorders Propecia Avodart

TLDR Finasteride may increase the risk of suicide or severe self-harm in men with mood disorders but not in the general population.

The study analyzed data from 287,363 men aged 50 years or older treated with either finasteride or dutasteride for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in France between 2012 and 2016. The results showed no increased risk of suicide or self-harm hospitalization in the general population with finasteride compared to dutasteride. However, among patients with a history of mood disorders, finasteride was associated with an increased risk of suicide or severe self-harm. The study concluded that while finasteride alone is unlikely to facilitate a suicidal act, it may trigger a suicidal act in those who are already in a fragile mental state or at risk of being in such a state. These results were based on a low number of events and should be interpreted with caution. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and to investigate the potential risk for younger men treated with low-dose finasteride for androgenetic alopecia.

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