Two medicines, side by side
Dutasteride vs finasteride
Dutasteride and finasteride are both labeled for enlarged prostate (bph). Drugs@FDA records approvals of dutasteride since 2001 and of finasteride since 1992. Pharmacies paid $0.157 per dutasteride 0.5 mg capsule and $0.0688 per finasteride 5 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. How each works, in its label's words: Dutasteride, “Dutasteride inhibits the conversion of testosterone to DHT.”; Finasteride, “The development and enlargement of the prostate gland is dependent on the potent androgen, 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT).”
Check it at the source: the dutasteride FDA label on DailyMed (effective September 11, 2025); the finasteride FDA label on DailyMed (effective March 18, 2026).
Highlights of the dutasteride record
Dutasteride (Avodart) · label of September 11, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsDutasteride capsules are a 5 alpha-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, and reduce the risk of the need for BPH-related surgery. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- November 20, 2001
- Generic labelers
- 13 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.157 per capsule
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
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 (Dutasteride label of September 11, 2025, Finasteride label of March 18, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do dutasteride and finasteride differ on the record?
How each works, in its label's words: Dutasteride, “Dutasteride inhibits the conversion of testosterone to DHT.”; Finasteride, “The development and enlargement of the prostate gland is dependent on the potent androgen, 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT).”
Both are in FDA's class 5-alpha reductase inhibitors.
Half-life, in each label's words: Dutasteride, “In this single-dose trial, dutasteride half-life increased with age (approximately 170 hours in men aged 20 to 49 …”; Finasteride, “Excretion In healthy young subjects (n=15), mean plasma clearance of finasteride was 165 mL/min (range, 70-279 mL/min) …”
Generics: dutasteride since 2010; finasteride since 2006 (Drugs@FDA).
| Dutasteride | Finasteride | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Enlarged prostate (BPH) | Enlarged prostate (BPH) |
| Pharmacologic class | 5-alpha Reductase Inhibitor | 5-alpha Reductase Inhibitor |
| How it works (label) | Dutasteride inhibits the conversion of testosterone to DHT. DHT is the androgen primarily responsible for the initial development and subsequent enlargement of the prostate gland. | 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) | In this single-dose trial, dutasteride half-life increased with age (approximately 170 hours in men aged 20 to 49 years, approximately 260 hours in men aged 50 to 69 years, and approximately 300 hours in men older than … | 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) | November 20, 2001 | June 19, 1992 |
| First generic approved | December 21, 2010 | June 19, 2006 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 13 labelers | 30 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.157 per capsule (Dutasteride 0.5 mg capsule) | $0.0688 per tablet (Finasteride 5 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -12% | -1% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 0 | 6 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 8,084 | 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 dutasteride
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions