Health
Hair-loss drug tied to suicides, depression and anxiety in global study
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This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Millions of men undergoing hair loss treatment may be putting their mental health on the line.
Finasteride, a hair-loss drug prescribed for androgenetic alopecia, the most common form of baldness, has been linked to a higher risk of suicide in global studies.
A recent review by Mayer Brezis, a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which was published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, argues that there is now enough evidence to mark depression, anxiety and suicidality as genuine risks of the drug.
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Finasteride has been linked to depression and suicide for more than 20 years, Brezis revealed, calling attention to the lack of action from manufacturers and regulators.
These concerns were raised in several studies as early as 2002. Four independent analyses and four studies indicating a “significant increase” in depression, anxiety and suicidal behavior were released between 2017 and 2023.
Multiple global studies have linked finasteride with an increase in depression, anxiety and suicidal behavior. (iStock)
“There has been, therefore, a two-decade delay in the realization of the incidences and the gravity of neuropsychiatric effects, allowing harm from a medicine prescribed for a cosmetic indication of hair loss,” the author wrote in the study.
“Over 20 years worldwide, hundreds of thousands may have endured depression, and hundreds may have died by suicide.”
Finasteride users have reported ongoing symptoms even after the drug is stopped, including insomnia, panic attacks, cognitive dysfunction and suicidal thoughts.
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In a Hebrew University of Jerusalem press release, Brezis reiterated that the evidence of this connection is “no longer anecdotal.”
“We now see consistent patterns across diverse populations. And the consequences may have been tragic,” he said.
Finasteride is a hair-loss drug prescribed for androgenetic alopecia. (iStock)
“The lesson is that before approving a medication for the market, regulators should require manufacturers to commit to performing and disclosing ongoing post-approval analytical studies, and this requirement needs to be enforced,” Brezis concluded in the review.
In 2011, the FDA reportedly acknowledged depression as a potential side effect of finasteride, adding suicidality in 2022.
The agency recorded 18 suicides linked to finasteride in 2011, although Brezis argued that the number should have “ranged in the thousands.”
In an additional statement sent to Fox News Digital, Brezis confirmed that physicians frequently prescribe finasteride “offhandedly because they are not aware of its risks.”
“My recommendation to patients and physicians: Stay away from this medication,” the researcher said. (iStock)
“Young people often get it from the internet without realizing it can cause anxiety, depression and even suicidal thoughts, in addition to sexual impairment,” he said. “Unfortunately, these adverse effects may persist after discontinuing the medication.
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“My recommendation to patients and physicians: Stay away from this medication,” he said. “My recommendation to the FDA: Take it off the market.”
Finasteride was reportedly invented by biopharmaceutical company Merck, which manufactures the drug under the brand names Proscar and Propecia. Other companies produce generic finasteride versions.
“Organon stands behind the safety and efficacy of its finasteride products.”
Organon, formerly part of Merck, is the manufacturer of Propecia and Proscar, two finasteride products. The company provided the below statement to Fox News Digital.
“Organon stands behind the safety and efficacy of its finasteride products. Regulatory agencies around the world thoroughly reviewed the safety and efficacy data for these medicines before their approval, and they, together with Organon, have continued to review additional safety and efficacy data in the decades that these products have been on the market as part of the rigorous, routine post-marketing surveillance process.”
The company encourages patients to speak with their doctors if they have any questions or concerns about their health or medication.
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A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also weighed in on the findings in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“The FDA advises patients to discuss the potential risks and benefits with their healthcare providers before using any pharmaceutical product,” the statement read. “This is particularly important as the FDA has not approved any topical finasteride products, which have been associated with numerous adverse effects reported to the agency.”
Ants can be a nuisance. Just ask officials at a hospital in Canada who are dealing with an “appearance of ants within the operating room” that has forced them to indefinitely suspend some surgeries there.
The ants appeared recently at Carman Memorial Hospital in Carman Manitoba, according to a statement from Southern Health-Santé Sud, the provincial authority that oversees the hospital.
It was not clear when the hospital would resume operations, but Southern Health said on Friday that a “limited number of elective surgeries” had been postponed and that the hospital was working with patients to reschedule them. Portage Online, a local news website, reported that 16 operations had been postponed, citing information from Southern Health.
It’s not the first time ants have disrupted operations at the hospital. The insects appeared there in August 2024, but “the issue resolved within a few weeks,” Southern Health said. They returned last summer. But with their reappearance this week, the hospital said it was taking more drastic measures. The hospital serves the area around Carman, a town with a population of around 3,000 residents about 47 miles southwest of Winnipeg.
“Any factor that could impact the safety or integrity of the operating room environment requires the suspension of surgical activity until the issue can be resolved,” Southern Health said. “The safety of patients, staff and physicians is paramount.”
The hospital is working with exterminators “to identify the source of the ants and implement additional measures and support a long-term resolution.” Southern Health told Portage Online that exterminators had “surveyed and cleaned drains, opened walls and sealed cracks.”
“Several methods have been used to bait the ants in an effort to find where they are originating from,” the authority said.
In a separate statement to the CBC, Southern Health said that it believed that an ant colony had made its home near the hospital and that they appeared to be “simply seeking food sources inside buildings as ants are known to do.”
The hospital also told the CBC that the ant problem at the hospital did not amount to an “infestation.”
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The U.S. government is moving to evacuate American passengers from a cruise ship linked to a deadly hantavirus outbreak, with plans to transport them to a military base in Nebraska for quarantine and monitoring, federal health officials said Friday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the risk to the American public remains extremely low as officials move forward with a medical repatriation flight for passengers aboard the M/V Hondius.
President Donald Trump said earlier Friday that the situation appears to be under control, pointing to the virus being difficult to transmit.
“We have very good people looking at it. It seems to be okay. They know the virus very well. They’ve worked with it for a long time. They know it very well. Not easy to pass on. So we hope that’s true,” he said.
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Health workers in protective gear evacuate patients from the MV Hondius cruise ship at a port in Praia, Cape Verde, on May 6, 2026. (Misper Apawu/AP)
“We seem to have things under very good control. They know that virus very well. It’s been around a long time. Not easily transferable, unlike COVID. But we’ll see. We have very good people studying it very closely.”
The outbreak has escalated over several weeks, beginning with a passenger who became sick in early April and later resulting in at least three deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
Cases are now reported across multiple countries after passengers disembarked in Africa and Europe, prompting health officials to trace contacts globally.
Authorities in Cape Verde at one point blocked passengers from leaving the ship, underscoring concerns about containment.
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An ambulance evacuates patients from the MV Hondius cruise ship to the airport in Praia, Cape Verde, on May 6, 2026. (Misper Apawu/AP)
Hantavirus is a rare but potentially deadly disease typically spread through contact with infected rodents or their droppings, according to the CDC. While most strains do not spread between people, health officials say the Andes virus — identified in some cases linked to the cruise ship — is the only known strain capable of limited person-to-person transmission.
The vessel is expected to dock in Spain’s Canary Islands, where international teams are coordinating next steps for passengers and crew.
A CDC team has been deployed to the Canary Islands to assess potential exposure among American passengers and determine monitoring needs.
Returning passengers are expected to be flown on a U.S. government medical repatriation flight to Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska.
Health workers in protective gear evacuate patients from the MV Hondius cruise ship into an ambulance at a port in Praia, Cape Verde, on May 6, 2026. (Misper Apawu/AP)
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They will then be transported to the National Quarantine Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center for further monitoring.
Additional CDC personnel will be stationed at Offutt Air Force Base to support health assessments.
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From tracking sleep and steps to monitoring heart rate, temperature and stress levels, wearable devices like smartwatches and rings are growing in popularity as wellness tools.
Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade recently used one of these — an Oura ring — to track his metrics from the early morning hours through a demanding work schedule and reported the results live on “Fox & Friends.”
“I just got four hours and one minute [of sleep], but I have some REM sleep, 14%, over 20% of deep sleep. Feeling pretty good, I feel pretty fresh,” Kilmeade shared during his first early morning update, reviewing the stats from his ring.
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Throughout the day, the wearable tracked his physiological responses to various environments, from the stress of a live television broadcast to the physical exertion of a workout.
Wearable devices are changing cardiology’s landscape, helping detect conditions like atrial fibrillation early, a cardiologist said. (iStock)
Kilmeade observed the data in real time, noting, “You see the stress level spike just a little bit … as I make my way over to radio, my activity is going to pick up.”
By the end of his day, which included a trip to West Point and hours spent in a car, the device provided a summary of Kilmeade’s activity levels and heart rate stability.
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Dr. Craig Basman, a New Jersey cardiologist, joined the program to interpret the data and discuss the clinical implications of such technology.
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Basman immediately addressed Kilmeade’s limited rest. “Well, I don’t think you have to be a cardiologist to diagnose him with suboptimal sleep,” he said.
The cardiologist urged users to treat the data as a catalyst for lifestyle changes. (iStock)
However, the doctor highlighted the broader potential of these tools, explaining that “these wearable devices are changing the landscape of cardiology” and that “the future is bright, not just for preventative care … but also screening and detection of actual cardiovascular pathology.”
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The cardiologist urged users to treat the data as a catalyst for lifestyle changes, noting that he wouldn’t recommend detection tools unless you’re “going to do something about it.”
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Regarding the accuracy of the technology, Basman said there is “robust data” to suggest that the numbers are “incredibly accurate” for a lot of the metrics people are viewing, specifically data like resting heart rate and heart rate variability.
Wearable health tech like watches and rings can track sleep, heart rate and stress. (iStock)
He also mentioned that some devices can detect serious conditions like atrial fibrillation, which affects millions and can often go undetected during a standard physical exam.
For younger individuals, wearables can serve as a “great primary prevention tool,” according to the doctor, given that plaque can begin to develop in the arteries as early as the 20s and 30s.
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For the older population, the devices act more as a “screening tool for actual existing cardiac pathology,” he added.
Anyone concerned about wearable health data should consult a doctor for medical guidance.
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