In anticipation of your use of the hair loss drug Finasteride (also known by brand names Propecia and Finpecia) you need to make sure that you have done your research on the possible implications its use could have on your health.

Drugs should never be consumed without doing painstaking research. More people are knowledgeable of the risks of prescription drug use due to the recent drug related deaths of Michael Jackson and Heath Ledger.

To assess the risks associated with taking Finasteride, including Finasteride side effects you should first examine the clinical trial results:

• Phase III Trials: The FDA (Federal Drug Agency) assesses the safety of drugs through several separate obligatory phases of clinical trials that all pharmaceutical companies must go through before they are allowed to market a drug. The findings of the thirds of these tests, for a longer period of time and with more persons, is your first standstill because it contains the most data. Google “phase III trial results propecia” to expose this information.
• Phase IV Trials: Some drugs are put through a fourth phase of trials by the pharmaceutical companies. This is not necessary, but the associations do this to muster up extra proof to utilize in their marketing of the drugs. Merck put Propecia (its brand name for Finasteride) through a 5 year clinical phase IV trial with the results published in 2001. This is one of the furthest-reaching clinical analysis in the market. Google “5 year trial results propecia” to uncover this information.

When reviewing these trial results take careful note of the incidence of side effects that people experience and what these are. These vary from testicular discomfort to decrease in stamina, to problems with erections and decrease in the amount of semen ejaculated.

You have at this moment dug deeper into all of the professional trial safety proof on Finasteride. After all, you must not stop there, as there is other, less well directed facts out there that you should take into regard. You will receive short term proof of the drug’s soundness in the Phase III and Phase IV trials.

Yet they don’t procure you with long term proof regarding its safety. Great quantities of males have been taking the drug for 10 years or more. This time span is beyond the controls, also drugs can have effects on your health that are only noticed after they have been used for a longer time.

To assess the longer term risks you should search out evidence from:

• Forums of ex-finasteride users: There are a number of forums where groups of men who used the Finasteride previously discuss their situations and opinions. Please keep in mind that data from these sources is not checked for accuracy at any time.But there are former Finasteride users who have started to link its usage to medical consequences, as is evident from an increasing number of forum entries. Google “Finasteride side effects forum” to read these findings.
• TV documentary on post-finasteride effects: A documentary was broadcast in Sweden in late 2009 on the permanent effects of Finasteride. Google “swedish documentary finasteride” for further counsel.

To date there is little long term quality information that you can use to judge the drugs safety. Since there are no longer term clinical investigations underway it is unlikely that a well checked source of longer term safety will be available soon.

The augmentation of former users who are displeased with the drug and their communication with the medical community will take some time to come to any conclusion as a result. Whether to affirm that the side effects of finasteride can become permanent, or that it is safe and sound or precarious.

David DeLucas shares his experiences and the results he got by taking Finasteride for 8 years, check out his tale. You will find out about his Propecia recovery and the many Finasteride side effects that he had to fight through.