push up the price of healthcare.
While finasteride can’t do much for those who already have prostate cancer, it would be a preventive option for middle-aged or older men who want to lessen their risk.
The drug can cause side effects.
Five to six percent of men can experience breast enlargement, tenderness, or sexual dysfunction — but these side effects go away if the patient quits taking the medication. Many men will be treated with radical prostatectomies, which can induce incontinence or impotence, or radiation therapy, leading to difficulties emptying their bladder and impotence. If they get radiation, they often get concurrent hormone therapy that can lead to weight gain, diabetes, cognitive and sexual dysfunction.
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Why More Men Aren’t Using It
Finasteride is affordable and convenient. It also helps lower the chance of developing prostate cancer.
So why aren’t more men taking it?
For starters, the results from this research are new. There’s also the issue of the FDA’s caution on finasteride, a consequence of the 2003 research.
Bureaucracy and regulatory bodies tend to move slowly. As a generic drug, finasteride doesn’t have the heft of any big pharmaceutical companies who might want to nudge the FDA on their ruling.
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If the warning label is not rescinded, the best option is probably off-label prescriptions for doctors and patients who want to use finasteride as a preventive measure.
Conclusion
Researchers say a new study has alleviated concerns about finasteride and prostate cancer.
The drug is cheap, plentiful, and reduces the risk of prostate cancer, researchers say.
There’s still an FDA warning on the finasteride label, but patients can talk to their doctors about taking the drug. If you have questions about changes in your medication, always consult a physician first. Do not make sudden changes to your prescriptions without first talking to a doctor.
