finasteride
Brand names: Proscar, Propecia
Finasteride is a medicine used to treat hair loss in men. It helps to prevent further hair loss on the head.
Drug Shortage Alert
finasteride is currently listed as to be discontinued by the FDA. Affected manufacturer: Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc..
View all drug shortages →Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$3.31/unit
Generic Price
$0.04/unit
Generic Savings
99%
Generic Available
Yes (12 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Finasteride treats male pattern hair loss on the head.
Common side effects
Decreased sex drive, Trouble getting an erection, Problems with ejaculation (decreased amount of semen)
Key warnings
Finasteride is not for use in women.
How It Works
Finasteride blocks a substance in the body that changes testosterone into another hormone. This other hormone causes hair loss in men. By blocking it, finasteride can help reduce hair loss.
How to Take It
Take one 1 mg tablet of finasteride once a day. You can take it with or without food. It may take 3 months or longer to see a benefit. Keep taking it to maintain the benefit. If you stop taking it, the effect will reverse within 12 months.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Finasteride is not for use in women, especially during pregnancy. It can cause birth defects in a male fetus. If a pregnant woman comes into contact with crushed or broken tablets, wash the area with soap and water.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, just take your next dose as scheduled. Do not take an extra dose.
Storage
Store finasteride tablets at room temperature (68° to 77°F). Keep the container closed and protect from moisture.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 28,119 FDA adverse event reports.
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 56,567 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2003–2025.
Total Reports
56,567
Death-Related Reports
4,908
Hospitalization Reports
15,491
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FATIGUE | 3,949 |
| 2 | ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION | 3,933 |
| 3 | DEPRESSION | 3,499 |
| 4 | ANXIETY | 2,966 |
| 5 | DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 2,534 |
| 6 | DIZZINESS | 2,377 |
| 7 | SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION | 2,322 |
| 8 | DIARRHOEA | 2,265 |
| 9 | DEATH | 2,170 |
| 10 | ASTHENIA | 2,106 |
| 11 | DYSPNOEA | 2,106 |
| 12 | ADVERSE DRUG REACTION | 2,097 |
| 13 | INSOMNIA | 2,029 |
| 14 | OFF LABEL USE | 1,892 |
| 15 | FALL | 1,733 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Finasteride is not for use in women. Pregnant women should not handle crushed or broken tablets because it can cause birth defects in a male fetus. Finasteride can lower your PSA levels, which could hide prostate cancer. This drug may also increase the risk of a more serious form of prostate cancer.
Known Drug Interactions
Compounds that have been tested in man include antipyrine, digoxin, propranolol, theophylline, and warfarin and no clinically meaningful interactions were found.
Mechanism: Studies in humans show that these two drugs do not have a meaningful effect on each other when taken together.
What to do: You can take these medications together without any special changes to your treatment.
7.2 Other Concomitant Therapy Although specific interaction studies were not performed, finasteride doses of 1 mg or more were concomitantly used in clinical studies with acetaminophen, acetylsalicylic acid, α-blockers, analgesics, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, anticonvulsants, benzodiazepines, beta blockers, calcium-channel blockers, cardiac nitrates, diuretics, H 2 antagonists, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors (also referred to as NSAIDs), and quinolone anti-infectives without evidence of clinically significant adverse interactions.
Mechanism: Clinical studies show that taking these two drugs together does not cause any significant problems or harmful side effects.
What to do: No special action is needed, and you can take both medications as directed by your doctor.
Compounds that have been tested in man include antipyrine, digoxin, propranolol, theophylline, and warfarin and no clinically meaningful interactions were found.
Mechanism: Research shows that these two drugs do not interfere with each other's levels or how they work in the body.
What to do: You can safely take these medications together without needing to adjust your doses.
Compounds that have been tested in man include antipyrine, digoxin, propranolol, theophylline, and warfarin and no clinically meaningful interactions were found.
Mechanism: These drugs were tested together in humans and were found to have no significant interaction.
What to do: No special monitoring or dose adjustments are necessary when using these two drugs at the same time.
Compounds that have been tested in man include antipyrine, digoxin, propranolol, theophylline, and warfarin and no clinically meaningful interactions were found.
Mechanism: Studies show that these two drugs do not have a significant effect on each other when taken together.
What to do: You can safely take these medications together without any special adjustments.
Common Questions
Can women use finasteride?
How long does it take to see results?
What happens if I stop taking finasteride?
Can finasteride affect my prostate?
What should I do if my PSA levels increase while taking finasteride?
Can finasteride interact with other medications?
What if a pregnant woman touches a broken finasteride tablet?
How should I store finasteride?
What are the most common side effects?
What should I do if I miss a dose?
What are the common side effects of finasteride?
Does finasteride interact with other medications?
What drug class is finasteride?
Is there a generic version of finasteride?
Is finasteride safe during pregnancy?
Has finasteride been recalled?
Is finasteride currently in shortage?
Active Recalls
CGMP Deviations
Aspen Biopharma Labs Pvt., Ltd.
Related Medications in 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitor
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alfuzosin
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darifenacin
Enablex
Darifenacin (Enablex) is a medicine that helps control an overactive bladder.
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dutasteride
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dutasteride/tamsulosin
Jalyn
This medicine combines two drugs to treat enlarged prostate in men.
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What the FDA Data Shows for finasteride
The FDA label for finasteride (sold under brand names such as Proscar, Propecia) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitor class. Finasteride treats male pattern hair loss on the head. Official labeling lists 3 commonly reported side effects, including Decreased sex drive, Trouble getting an erection, Problems with ejaculation (decreased amount of semen).
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 28,119 voluntary reports. The database also lists 5 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.04 versus $3.31 for the brand — a 99% generic savings.
Report counts do not establish causation — a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history (currently 1 recall record on file), and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice — always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC). Shortage status: FDA Drug Shortages Database.
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: July 28, 2017
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book — approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed — NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) — post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm — standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files — federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database — current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages