Finasteride

Research records

Historical source snapshot. Not freshly verified, not a recommendation. Study findings, community accounts and app defaults are not interchangeable.

Publication suitability · 2026-10-15: Historical reference only; not a clinical verification. Clinical, regulatory, efficacy, safety and dose claims are not independently established by this review.

Finasteride

An FDA-approved 5-alpha reductase inhibitor used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Evidence category: Regulator / guideline. This describes the source category, not approval or certainty.

Regulatory statement in source: FDA-approved.

Finasteride (Proscar) is a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor approved by the FDA on June 19, 1992, for benign prostatic hyperplasia in men with enlarged prostate. It reduces DHT levels, causing prostate shrinkage and reducing risk of acute urinary retention and surgical intervention. FDA label was revised to note persistent erectile dysfunction and other sexual side effects after discontinuation.

Benefits reported in the imported source

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
• Reduces risk of acute urinary retention and need for BPH-related surgery

Risks and limits

• Persistent erectile dysfunction and sexual dysfunction reported after discontinuation
• Decreased libido
• Ejaculation disorders
• Rare reports of male breast cancer

Source bottom line: FDA-approved for BPH with robust evidence, but updated label warns of persistent sexual side effects.

Uncertainty: Reference information only. Not medical advice.

Study protocols — reports, not instructions

No study protocol recorded in this snapshot. This does not establish that no study exists.

Community and practice descriptions

Accounts of a practice are not evidence of safety or effectiveness. Words such as “standard”, “safe” or “recommended” describe the source account, not verified consensus or this wiki’s advice. Commercial and self-published citations are retained for traceability, not vendor endorsement or independent clinical corroboration.

Pharmacokinetic context

Historical half-life estimate: 3–16 hours. FDA label, Proscar: single-dose half-life 3-16 hours in men 45-60y (6-15h in men over 70y) Population/route context and estimates may differ. This is not a schedule or a verified human dosing rule.

Source references

• PROSCAR (finasteride) Label - FDA
• Finasteride - Drugs.com (availability check 2026-10-15: source not retrieved; HTTP 403)