Two medicines, side by side
Alfuzosin vs finasteride
Alfuzosin and finasteride are both labeled for enlarged prostate (bph). Drugs@FDA records approvals of alfuzosin since 2003 and of finasteride since 1992. Pharmacies paid $0.105 per alfuzosin HCl ER 10 mg tablet and $0.0688 per finasteride 5 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, alfuzosin is an alpha-adrenergic blocker and finasteride a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor.
Check it at the source: the alfuzosin FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 5, 2024); the finasteride FDA label on DailyMed (effective March 18, 2026).
Highlights of the alfuzosin record
Alfuzosin (Uroxatral) · label of December 5, 2024
Used for
From the label: indicationsUROXATRAL is indicated for the treatment of signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. UROXATRAL is an alpha adrenergic antagonist, indicated for the treatment of signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. ( 1 ) Important Limitations of Use: UROXATRAL is not indicated for treatment of hypertension. ( 1.1 ) UROXATRAL is not indicated for use in the pediatric population. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- June 12, 2003
- Generic labelers
- 10 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.105 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 1
Highlights of the finasteride record
Finasteride (Proscar) · label of March 18, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsPROSCAR, is a 5α-reductase inhibitor, indicated for the treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men with an enlarged prostate to ( 1.1 ): Improve symptoms Reduce the risk of acute urinary retention Reduce the risk of the need for surgery including transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and prostatectomy. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- June 19, 1992
- Generic labelers
- 30 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0688 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 6
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Alfuzosin label of December 5, 2024, Finasteride label of March 18, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do alfuzosin and finasteride differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, alfuzosin is an alpha-adrenergic blocker and finasteride a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor.
How each works, in its label's words: Alfuzosin, “Alfuzosin is a selective antagonist of post-synaptic alpha 1 -adrenoreceptors, which are located in the prostate, bladder base, bladder neck, prostatic capsule, and prostatic urethra.”; Finasteride, “The development and enlargement of the prostate gland is dependent on the potent androgen, 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT).”
Half-life, in each label's words: Alfuzosin, “Following oral administration of UROXATRAL 10 mg tablets, the apparent elimination half-life is 10 hours.”; Finasteride, “Excretion In healthy young subjects (n=15), mean plasma clearance of finasteride was 165 mL/min (range, 70-279 mL/min) …”
Generics: alfuzosin since 2011; finasteride since 2006 (Drugs@FDA).
| Alfuzosin | Finasteride | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Enlarged prostate (BPH) | Enlarged prostate (BPH) |
| Pharmacologic class | alpha-Adrenergic Blocker | 5-alpha Reductase Inhibitor |
| How it works (label) | Alfuzosin is a selective antagonist of post-synaptic alpha 1 -adrenoreceptors, which are located in the prostate, bladder base, bladder neck, prostatic capsule, and prostatic urethra. | The development and enlargement of the prostate gland is dependent on the potent androgen, 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Type II 5α-reductase metabolizes testosterone to DHT in the prostate gland, liver and skin. |
| Half-life (label) | Following oral administration of UROXATRAL 10 mg tablets, the apparent elimination half-life is 10 hours. | Excretion In healthy young subjects (n=15), mean plasma clearance of finasteride was 165 mL/min (range, 70-279 mL/min) and mean elimination half-life in plasma was 6 hours (range, 3-16 hours). |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | June 12, 2003 | June 19, 1992 |
| First generic approved | July 18, 2011 | June 19, 2006 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 10 labelers | 30 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.105 per tablet (Alfuzosin HCl ER 10 mg tablet) | $0.0688 per tablet (Finasteride 5 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -0.1% | -1% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 1 | 6 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 5,746 | 59,983 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Alternatives to alfuzosin
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions