Finasteride 1 mg is licensed in the UK for the treatment of men with male pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) to increase hair growth and prevent further hair loss. In April 2024, and again in May 2026, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the UK medicines regulator, published safety advice about its psychiatric and sexual side effects.

This guide sets out what the MHRA said, in its own words where possible, and what it means if you take finasteride or are considering it.

If you are struggling with your mood right now, go straight to what to do if you notice mood changes. You can call Samaritans free on 116 123 at any time, call NHS 111, or call 999 or go to A&E if you feel at risk of serious harm.

What the MHRA said, and when

29 April 2024: a reminder, and a patient card

The MHRA published a Drug Safety Update after a safety review prompted by “concerns from patients regarding a lack of awareness of these side effects”. The product information already described the potential for persistent sexual side effects, but these side effects were “not well known by prescribers and patients”. Its advice to prescribers included:

  • finasteride “has been associated with depression, suicidal thoughts and sexual dysfunction”
  • patients have reported that sexual dysfunction, including decreased libido and erectile dysfunction, “has persisted even after treatment was stopped”
  • before prescribing, “ask patients if they have a history of depression or suicidal ideation”
  • monitor patients for psychiatric and sexual side effects
  • a patient card would be introduced in all finasteride packs

The update also gave UK Yellow Card figures. Between November 1992 and 5 April 2024 the MHRA received 426 reports of sexual dysfunction with finasteride (1 mg and 5 mg), and in almost half of them the outcome was recorded as “not recovered” or “not resolved”. Between February 1993 and 5 April 2024 it received 281 reports of depressed mood disorders and suicidal and self-injurious behaviours.

11 May 2026: updated warnings, and dutasteride

The MHRA reviewed the scientific literature included in the European referral on finasteride and dutasteride, Yellow Card reports and the actions of other international regulators, and published updated warnings. The key points were:

  • finasteride “is associated with depression, suicidal ideation and sexual dysfunction which may persist after treatment is stopped”
  • prescribers should inform patients of the risks “at point of prescribing” and advise them to read the patient card and the leaflet
  • the finasteride 1 mg product information would be updated to warn that “sexual dysfunction may contribute to mood disorders”, and that sexual dysfunction has also been reported without mood changes
  • because dutasteride is in the same class as finasteride, a precautionary warning would be added to its product information that depressed mood, depression or suicidal ideation has been reported with finasteride. The MHRA said the data for dutasteride itself were “very limited”

Yellow Card data from 1994 to 31 May 2025 included 170 reports of suicidal ideation and related terms for finasteride (1 mg and 5 mg), and 19 fatal reports of suicide. For dutasteride 0.5 mg there were 5 such reports and no fatal reports of suicide. The MHRA is clear that the suspected adverse reactions that have been reported “do not necessarily mean that the medicine has caused the reaction”. It also notes that the Yellow Card data were mainly from people taking 1 mg finasteride for hair loss, and that the published literature “showed mixed outcomes”.

The Propecia (finasteride 1 mg) patient leaflet on the electronic medicines compendium was last revised in May 2026 and carries similar wording.

The side effects in plain English

Mood (psychiatric) effects. The Propecia leaflet says: “Mood alterations such as depressed mood, depression and, less frequently, suicidal thoughts have been reported in patients treated with Propecia.” It describes depression as a “feeling of severe sadness and unworthiness”. It also lists anxiety, with the frequency unknown. Anxiety is listed in the product information, not in the two MHRA updates. Our guides to finasteride and depression and finasteride and suicidal thoughts explain more.

Sexual effects. These are:

  • less desire to have sex (reduced libido)
  • difficulty getting or keeping an erection
  • problems with ejaculation, such as less semen being released

The leaflet lists these sexual effects as uncommon, which means they may affect up to 1 in 100 people.

How the two can be linked. The updated leaflet says impaired sexual function “may contribute to mood alterations, including suicidal thoughts” in some patients, and that it has also been reported without any change in mood.

You may not notice changes in your own mood. The 2024 update advised patients to tell friends and family that they are taking finasteride: “Others may notice changes and help you quickly identify any symptoms”.

The patient alert card

The 2026 update confirmed that “the UK Finasteride patient cards, already introduced in 2024, highlight the risks of psychiatric and sexual side effects”, and that they stay in the 1 mg and 5 mg packs. The Propecia leaflet states that “a patient card reminding of the above is provided with the package”.

In 2024 the MHRA said the card “aims to increase awareness of the side effects including depression, suicidal thoughts and sexual dysfunction”. Its advice is to “read and keep the Finasteride patient cards and patient information leaflet within your pack”, and to tell your doctor about any personal history of depression or suicidal thoughts before you start. If you did not receive a card, ask your prescriber or pharmacist.

What “persistent” side effects means

“Persistent” means a side effect that continues after you have stopped taking the medicine.

The Propecia leaflet lists persistent difficulty having an erection, persistent decrease in sex drive and persistent problems with ejaculation “after discontinuation of treatment”, under the heading “Frequency unknown”. The prescriber information (SmPC) uses “not known” for frequencies that “cannot be estimated from the available data”.

So the product information gives no reliable figure for how likely this is. The MHRA has published numbers of Yellow Card reports, but reports are not rates, so they cannot tell you your chance of being affected. The leaflet also notes that some side effects are “temporary with continued treatment or disappeared when treatment is stopped”. The MHRA’s advice is that prescribers should inform patients of the risks at the point of prescribing.

For more on lasting symptoms, see our guides to persistent sexual dysfunction after finasteride and post-finasteride syndrome, and the question is finasteride safe long term?.

What to do if you notice mood changes

  • If you take finasteride 1 mg for hair loss and develop depression or suicidal thoughts, the MHRA advice is to stop taking it immediately and contact your doctor as soon as possible.
  • If you take finasteride 5 mg or dutasteride and develop depression or suicidal thoughts, the MHRA advice is to contact your doctor as soon as possible.
  • If you have seriously harmed yourself or feel at risk of serious harm, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E.
  • If you need to talk to someone now, call Samaritans free on 116 123, any time, day or night.
  • For urgent mental health advice, call NHS 111, or use NHS 111 online.
  • If you notice sexual side effects, such as reduced sex drive, difficulty with erections or ejaculation problems, contact your doctor for advice. The leaflet says your doctor may consider stopping treatment.

If you are a WMG Meds patient, contact the clinical team as well. Our guide to stopping finasteride safely explains what happens after you stop and what to keep track of.

How to report a side effect: the Yellow Card scheme

The Yellow Card scheme is how the MHRA collects reports of suspected side effects. Anyone can report, online at yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk or through the Yellow Card app.

The 2024 update asked for as much detail as possible, including medical history, other medicines, timings and “particularly if a side effect continued or started after treatment was stopped”. Yellow Card reports were part of the evidence behind both updates.

What it means for topical finasteride

Neither MHRA update mentions topical finasteride. The licensed products they discuss are tablets. Topical finasteride is not licensed in the UK, but it can still reach the bloodstream, so the warnings apply in principle.

WMG Meds can prescribe a compounded topical combination of finasteride and minoxidil. It is an unlicensed special, prescribed only after an individual clinical assessment. We apply the same MHRA advice to it as to the tablets: the same questions before prescribing, the same explanation of the warnings, and the same advice to stop and seek help if your mood changes.

How WMG Meds handles it

WMG Meds is an online prescribing service under Westminster Medical Group, 134 Harley Street. A doctor reviews every assessment. The process is:

  • A medical questionnaire. It asks about your medical history, including any depression, low mood or self-harm at any point.
  • Review by a doctor. A GMC-registered doctor reviews your answers and decides whether prescription treatment is clinically appropriate. If it is not, the doctor tells you why.
  • The MHRA advice comes first. Before any prescribing decision, the doctor explains the MHRA safety advice on mood and sexual side effects. Finasteride is prescribed only if the doctor considers it right for you.
  • Follow-up. Tolerability is reviewed at follow-up, and you can stop at any time.

You can read the regulator’s updates, with links to the originals, on our MHRA safety updates page, and the full product information on the finasteride 1 mg page. If you are considering treatment, the free online assessment asks about your mental health history so a doctor can judge whether finasteride is appropriate for you.

Frequently asked questions

Has finasteride been banned or withdrawn in the UK?

No. The MHRA updated its safety advice and is updating the product information. It did not withdraw finasteride. The 2026 update notes that finasteride 1 mg “is only available by private prescription”.

Do the warnings apply to finasteride 5 mg and dutasteride?

Both updates cover finasteride 1 mg (for hair loss) and 5 mg (for an enlarged prostate). Only the 2026 update covers dutasteride. People on 5 mg or dutasteride who develop depression or suicidal thoughts are told to contact their doctor as soon as possible. The dutasteride warning is precautionary: the MHRA said the data for dutasteride itself were “very limited”. Dutasteride is not licensed for hair loss, so using it for hair loss is off-label. Our guide to dutasteride for hair loss in the UK covers it in more detail.

I have had depression in the past. Can I take finasteride?

The MHRA does not say you cannot. It says prescribers should ask about any history of depression or suicidal thoughts, and you should tell your doctor, who weighs it with your full history. If you are struggling now, call Samaritans free on 116 123, call NHS 111, or call 999 or go to A&E if you feel at risk of serious harm.

Should I stop finasteride because of the warnings?

If you feel well, discuss it with your prescriber first. If you develop depression or suicidal thoughts on 1 mg, the MHRA advice is to stop immediately and contact your doctor as soon as possible. If you have thoughts of suicide, call Samaritans free on 116 123, call NHS 111, or call 999 or go to A&E if you feel at risk of serious harm.

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