Month: July 2006

Can stomach acid destroy finasteride in Proscar tablets that were cut in fourths? I heard the coating of some drugs is supposed to get them to the small intestine, where the pH is 6.5 and they are absorbed.

I do not have direct knowledge of this. It would be best to take the drug at the prescribed 1 mg dose (Propecia) rather than cutting the 5mg dose, but many people who switch from the 1mg dose to the 5mg dose (cutting the tablet into quarters) tell me that they get the same benefits. I would doubt that the acid would react differently with the intact 1mg Propecia and the cut sections of the 5mg tablet, but I do not know for sure. So just to be clear, my answer is just speculation based on what I have been told by users of finasteride.

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Dr. Rassman,

It says here that Proscar has gone generic. Do you believe it, and what does it mean to american customers of Finasteride? I am particularly confused about the 180 days bit? Does it mean that generics of proscar will only be available for a 180 day window.

Thanks Doc

See Dr. Reddy’s launches generic Proscar in U.S..

Yes, Proscar (brand name of 5mg finasteride) has gone generic. Propecia (brand name of 1mg finasteride) is still not available in the generic form in the US. Some patients take Proscar and break the pill in 1/5 or 1/4 in place of Propecia because it costs less. This does not mean Proscar is available without a prescription in the US, but it now that it is to be available in the generic form, it should cost even less to take finasteride in 1mg doses (as long as you break the pill).

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