Dr. Mayer Brezis argues that a study by Wang et al. incorrectly concluded that finasteride does not cause depression or suicide, due to methodological flaws, and suggests halting its marketing under the precautionary principle.
In this letter, Dr. Mayer Brezis critiques a study on finasteride's mental health impact, arguing that its dismissal of links between the drug and depression or suicide is flawed; he suggests market withdrawal due to established neuropsychiatric risks.
December 2025 in “The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry” Finasteride can cause depression and suicidal thoughts; safer alternatives are recommended.
February 2026 in “Journal of Dermatology and Skin Science” This review suggests a causal relationship between finasteride, used for hair loss, and persistent neuropsychiatric side effects like depression, citing evidence that fulfills key causality criteria and calls for cautious use along with strengthened regulatory oversight.
April 2026 in “Brain Sciences” This pharmacovigilance study analyzed FAERS data and found that finasteride is more frequently associated with neuropsychiatric reactions like depression and suicide risk, especially in younger men using it for alopecia, compared to dutasteride.