Finasteride and Suicide: A Postmarketing Case Series
Irwig, 2020
“An important pattern of symptoms was common among all cases who committed suicide in the setting of finasteride use – insomnia and persistent sexual dysfunction after medication discontinuation.”
Eight families of PFS patients who had taken their own lives volunteered for the study. Two suicide cases were not included due to a lack of adequate medical records.
The considered cases began finasteride use between the ages of 19 and 36 years and died between the ages of 25 and 42 years. The duration of finasteride use ranged from 9 days to 6 years. The time from finasteride cessation to death ranged from 6 months to 10 years.
The onset of adverse effects began while the cases were taking finasteride. A worsening of symptoms after finasteride discontinuation was noted in two of the cases.
All of the cases reported erectile dysfunction and insomnia. The most debilitating symptoms were insomnia, fatigue, depression, anxiety and isolation. Other symptoms reported included genital shrinkage, abnormal ejaculate and “brain fog”.
Apart from hyperlipidemia in one case, there was no other baseline medical or psychiatric diagnoses prior to starting finasteride. There was no record of concomitant medication use with finasteride.
