This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Millions of men are receiving treatment hair loss treatment You could be putting their mental health at risk.
Finasteride, a hair loss drug prescribed for male pattern baldness, the most common form of baldness, has been linked to an increased risk of suicide in global studies.
A recent review published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry by Professor Mayer Brezis of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem claims there is now enough evidence to make the mark. Depression, anxiety, and suicidal tendencies As a real risk of drugs.
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Mr Bregis revealed that finasteride has been linked to depression and suicide for more than 20 years and called attention to the lack of action by manufacturers and regulators.
These concerns were raised by some research Four independent analyzes and four studies were published showing “significant increases” in depression, anxiety and suicidal behavior between 2017 and 2023.
“Therefore, there has been a 20-year lag in recognition of the incidence and severity of neuropsychiatric effects, allowing harm from drugs prescribed as cosmetic indications for hair loss,” the authors write in the study.
“For 20 years, hundreds of thousands of people around the world endured depression, and hundreds may have died by suicide.”
Finasteride users may experience insomnia, panic attacks, and symptoms even after discontinuing the drug. Cognitive dysfunction and suicidal thoughts.
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In a press release from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Professor Brezis reiterated that evidence of this relationship is “no longer anecdotal.”
“We’re now seeing consistent patterns across diverse populations, and the consequences could have been tragic,” he says.
“The lesson is that before bringing a drug to market, regulators should require manufacturers to commit to conducting and disclosing ongoing post-approval analytical studies, and this requirement should be enforced,” Breges concluded in his review.
In 2011, the FDA reportedly recognized the possibility of depression. finasteride side effectsthe suicide rate will increase in 2022.
The agency recorded 18 finasteride-related suicides in 2011, but Brezis insisted the number “should be in the thousands”.
In an additional statement sent to Fox News Digital, Bregis confirmed that doctors have said: prescribe frequently Finasteride is being used “with impunity, with no awareness of the risks.”
“Young people often get infected from the internet without knowing that it can cause anxiety, depression and even suicidal thoughts, in addition to sexual disorders,” he says. “Unfortunately, these side effects can continue even after the medication is stopped.”
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“My recommendation to patients and doctors is to stay away from this drug,” he said. “My recommendation to the FDA is to take it off the market.”
Finasteride was reportedly invented by the biopharmaceutical company Merck, which currently manufactures the drug under the brand names Proscar and Propecia. Other companies also produce generic versions of finasteride.
Organon, formerly part of Merck, is the maker of two finasteride products, Propecia and Proscar. The company provided the following statement to Fox News Digital.
“Organon stands behind the safety and efficacy of finasteride products. Regulatory authorities around the world thoroughly review safety and efficacy data before approving these medicines, and continue to work with Organon to review additional safety and efficacy data decades after these products have been on the market as part of their rigorous and routine post-market surveillance processes.”
The company encourages patients to contact their doctor with any questions or concerns about their health or medications.
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A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also addressed the findings in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“FDA advises patients to discuss the potential risks and benefits with their health care provider before using any drug,” the statement said. “This is especially important because the FDA has not approved topical finasteride products and there are numerous side effects reported to the FDA.”
