Department of Medicine, Brown School of Public Health, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
Publications
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Short communication
Neuropsychiatric Reactions to Finasteride: Nocebo or True Effect?
Author(s): Mayer Brezis*
Abstract
Finasteride, which inhibits conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, is
in wide use for hair loss and prostatic hyperplasia. Reports of adverse reactions
increasingly suggest that finasteride may cause depression, anxiety, suicidality
and sexual dysfunction, even after discontinuation of the drug. On the other
hand, some publications have claimed that this could represent simulated
reporting of a nocebo effect. In the present paper, we analyse reports to the FDA
of neuropsychiatric events for finasteride in comparison to control medications,
and demonstrate remarkably disproportionate safety signals for finasteride.
Furthermore, the rise in neuropsychiatric reactions to finasteride over the
last decade concurs with a striking increase in suicides reported to the FDA in
relationship to this medication. In addition, Google analytics show a growin..
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