GW Researcher Finds Depressive Symptoms and Suicidal Thoughts in Many Former Finasteride (Propecia) Users with Persistent Sexual Dysfunction

Michael Irwig posed for a portrait in a white shirt and red tie

WASHINGTON — New research, to be published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, finds that men who developed persistent sexual side effects while on finasteride (Propecia), a drug commonly used for male pattern hair loss,  have a high prevalence of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts. The study, titled “Depressive Symptoms and Suicidal Thoughts Among Former Users of Finasteride With Persistent Sexual Side Effects,” was authored by Michael S. Irwig, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Endocrinology at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

For the study, Dr. Irwig administered standardized interviews to 61 men who were former users of finasteride with persistent sexual side effects for more than three months.  The interview gathered demographic information, medical and psychiatric histories, and information on medication use, sexual function, and alcohol consumption. All of the former finasteride users were otherwise healthy men with no baseline sexual dysfunction, medical conditions, psychiatric conditions or use of oral prescription medications. Dr. Irwig also conducted interviews with a control group of 29 men who had male pattern hair loss but who had never used finasteride and who denied any history of psychiatric conditions or use of psychiatric medications. Both groups self-administered the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), a widely used, validated instrument that measures the severity of depression in adults.

According to the total scores from the BDI-II, most former finasteride users exhibited some degree of depressive symptoms: 11% had mild symptoms; 28% had moderate symptoms; and 36% had severe symptoms. In addition, 44% reported suicidal thoughts. In the control group, 10%had mild depressive symptoms with no cases of moderate or severe symptoms, and 3% reported suicidal thoughts. 

“The potential life-threatening side-effects associated with finasteride should prompt clinicians to have serious discussions with their patients. The preliminary findings of this study warrant further research.” said Dr. Irwig.

M. Irwig: Depressive Symptoms and Suicidal Thoughts Among Former Users of Finasteride With Persistent Sexual Side Effects: Journal of Clinical Psychiatry; DOI: 10.4088/JCP.12m07887

Latest News

The Global Clinical Care Alliance (GCCA) at the George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) announced the inaugural recipients of the GW Global Health Legacy Fellowship.
As fall begins and school resumes, the GW Cancer Center extends vital support to patients who are also parents. Led by Access Team Lead Janelle Williams, the center offers compassionate programs like school supply drives to ease the burden on families affected by cancer.
The International Association for Health Professions Education (AMEE) recently selected Maranda Ward, EdD ’17, MPH, associate professor of clinical research and leadership, as the recipient of the 2025 Miriam Friedman Ben-David (MFBD) Award.