Hair-loss drug tied to suicides, depression and anxiety in global study

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Millions of men undergoing hair loss treatment may be putting their mental health on the line.

Finasteride, a hair-loss drug prescribed for androgenetic alopecia, the most common form of baldness, has been linked to a higher risk of suicide in global studies.

A recent review by Mayer Brezis, a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which was published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, argues that there is now enough evidence to mark depression, anxiety and suicidality as genuine risks of the drug.

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Finasteride has been linked to depression and suicide for more than 20 years, Brezis revealed, calling attention to the lack of action from manufacturers and regulators.

These concerns were raised in several studies as early as 2002. Four independent analyses and four studies indicating a "significant increase" in depression, anxiety and suicidal behavior were released between 2017 and 2023.

"There has been, therefore, a two-decade delay in the realization of the incidences and the gravity of neuropsychiatric effects, allowing harm from a medicine prescribed for a cosmetic indication of hair loss," the author wrote in the study.

"Over 20 years worldwide, hundreds of thousands may have endured depression, and hundreds may have died by suicide."

Finasteride users have reported ongoing symptoms even after the drug is stopped, including insomnia, panic attacks, cognitive dysfunction and suicidal thoughts.

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In a Hebrew University of Jerusalem press release, Brezis reiterated that the evidence of this connection is "no longer anecdotal."

"We now see consistent patterns across diverse populations. And the consequences may have been tragic," he said.

"The lesson is that before approving a medication for the market, regulators should require manufacturers to commit to performing and disclosing ongoing post-approval analytical studies, and this requirement needs to be enforced," Brezis concluded in the review.

In 2011, the FDA reportedly acknowledged depression as a potential side effect of finasteride, adding suicidality in 2022.

The agency recorded 18 suicides linked to finasteride in 2011, although Brezis argued that the number should have "ranged in the thousands."

In an additional statement sent to Fox News Digital, Brezis confirmed that physicians frequently prescribe finasteride "offhandedly because they are not aware of its risks."

"Young people often get it from the internet without realizing it can cause anxiety, depression and even suicidal thoughts, in addition to sexual impairment," he said. "Unfortunately, these adverse effects may persist after discontinuing the medication.

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"My recommendation to patients and physicians: Stay away from this medication," he said. "My recommendation to the FDA: Take it off the market."

Finasteride was reportedly invented by biopharmaceutical company Merck, which manufactures the drug under the brand names Proscar and Propecia. Other companies produce generic finasteride versions.

Organon, formerly part of Merck, is the manufacturer of Propecia and Proscar, two finasteride products. The company provided the below statement to Fox News Digital.

"Organon stands behind the safety and efficacy of its finasteride products. Regulatory agencies around the world thoroughly reviewed the safety and efficacy data for these medicines before their approval, and they, together with Organon, have continued to review additional safety and efficacy data in the decades that these products have been on the market as part of the rigorous, routine post-marketing surveillance process."

The company encourages patients to speak with their doctors if they have any questions or concerns about their health or medication.

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A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also weighed in on the findings in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"The FDA advises patients to discuss the potential risks and benefits with their healthcare providers before using any pharmaceutical product," the statement read. "This is particularly important as the FDA has not approved any topical finasteride products, which have been associated with numerous adverse effects reported to the agency."