Hair Loss News

Actavis, a drug manufacturer based in Iceland, has just received approval from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to market generic Finasteride Tablets, USP 5 mg.

Finasteride 5mg tablets are the generic equivalent of Merck & Company’s Proscar® tablets which are indicated for the treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH).

Finasteride in a 1mg tablet version is sold under the brand name Propecia® for use in treating hair loss.   In order to save money, some men buy Finasteride 5mg tablets and then cut them into fifths with the aid of a pill splitter.   Although doctors frown on this practice, it has become more common due to the rising cost of Propecia, which at this time is not available as a generic. 

For men who use Proscar® or one its generic equivalents, this new approval is good news because the more suppliers there are, the lower prices will drop.   Obtaining Proscar or its generic equivalent requires a doctor’s prescription since it’s only been approved as a treatment for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), not hair loss.

According to IMS Health data Annual, the sales of Finasteride 5mg tablets in the U.S. were approximately US$364 million for the twelve months ending March 2007.

It is expected that the distribution of the new generic will begin immediately.