What CBC/Radio-Canada Uncovered About Finasteride’s Hidden Dangers
A six-month investigation by CBC/Radio-Canada, published on March 17, 2025, has brought renewed attention to the devastating side effects some men experience after taking finasteride—a drug commonly used to treat hair loss under the brand name Propecia.
The report features the heartbreaking story of Marc Turner, a 35-year-old from Mississauga, Ontario, who took finasteride hoping to stop his hair loss. Within weeks, he developed brain fog, sexual dysfunction, and anhedonia—the inability to feel pleasure or love. Even after stopping the drug, his condition worsened. After struggling for over a year, Marc tragically took his own life in April 2022.
“He said, ‘There’s no comfort anywhere, mom. I can’t feel love,’” his mother Denise told CBC.
Turner’s story is echoed by 25 men interviewed by CBC/Radio-Canada, who described lasting sexual, cognitive, and psychological symptoms—long after stopping the drug. Symptoms reported include erectile dysfunction, infertility, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and suicidal ideation. Some lost relationships, jobs, and hope.
This condition, often referred to as Post-Finasteride Syndrome (PFS), remains controversial in some medical circles. However, experts interviewed by CBC—including Harvard endocrinologist Dr. Michael Irwig—believe the clinical trials that led to finasteride’s approval were flawed and failed to capture long-term risks.
“The trials were short, small, and didn’t follow up on men with lingering side effects,” said Irwig.
“The real risks are likely underestimated.”
The investigation also uncovered evidence that Merck, the drug’s original manufacturer, may have downplayed or withheld data about persistent side effects in clinical trials. In internal emails exposed in court, a Merck scientist referred to the company’s own published safety data as “misleading.”
While finasteride’s product monograph now lists sexual side effects and the risk of suicidal ideation, patients and families told CBC that doctors often failed to warn them—and telehealth ads continue to target young men with little mention of risk.
“Before I took the drug, I checked everything,” said Wei Wong, a 29-year-old from Montreal.
Since its release, finasteride prescriptions in Canada have grown nearly 50%. CBC’s reporting raises urgent questions: Are enough men being properly informed? Are regulators doing enough?
Read the full article on CBC News:
“Hair loss drug finasteride can cause debilitating side-effects, men say”
Learn more about PFS & PSSD
What is Post-Finasteride Syndrome?
PFS (Post-Finasteride Syndrome) is a complex and life-altering condition caused by the drug Finasteride (also marketed as Propecia) and other 5ar inhibitors. It affects physical, mental, and sexual health, leaving patients to suffer without adequate support, recognition or treatment.
What is Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction?
PSSD (Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction) is a serious and debilitating condition associated with the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and similar drugs. It affects mental, physical, and sexual well-being, leaving many patients to suffer without sufficient support, recognition, or effective treatment.
