Drug halts baldness in 90% of men
Propecia pill halts hair loss in 90% of men
Five-year study: A little bit even grew back, test results
show
Propecia, a prescription drug that treats male pattern hair
loss, can halt the progression of baldness in 90% of patients, concludes the
first long-term international clinical study.
Newly released five-year data from a placebo-controlled
trial also show the drug fostered growth of new hair in 65% of participants.
The results are published in the current issue of the European Journal of
Dermatology.
About 358 Canadian men, aged 18-41, from Vancouver, Toronto,
Montreal and Halifax, were among almost 1,600 participants from 16 countries.
Male-pattern baldness, medically known as androgenetic alopecia, can hit as
early as age 20.
"There has never been a study of that length of time
for male pattern hair loss," said Dr. Jerry Shapiro, clinical professor
in dermatology at the University of British Columbia. "Most studies are
one or two years.
"Patients always ask about long term and now we can say
yes we can retard further hair loss or stabilize hair loss in 90% of
individuals for at least five years. And we can say that 65% of individuals
can regrow some hair within that five-year period.
"But we're not talking luxuriant regrowth," said
Dr. Shapiro, director of UBC's hair research and treatment centre. "It is
minimal to moderate regrowth. It's not going to cause a dramatic increase, as
hair surgery would do."
Taking a daily dose of Propecia costs Canadians about $50
monthly, said Dr. Shapiro, who is also president of the Canadian Hair Research
Foundation.
"What is significant about the results is that the
difference between those that stayed on placebo for five years and those that
were on the actual treatment, got greater and greater as the years went
on," Dr. Shapiro said. "If somebody has this problem, then the
earlier they get started probably the better the result."
By the fifth year, Propecia-treated men had a net
improvement of 277 hairs. None in the placebo treated group reported any
improvement. Known as Finasteride, the drug has also been used to treat
enlarged prostates.
Both Finasteride, the first pill to treat baldness, and
Minoxidil (Rogaine) have been believed to help stop hair loss from
progressing. They are considered "lifestyle drugs," medicines such
as the anti-impotence treatment Viagra and Xenical, a diet pill, that are
meant to enhance quality of life as opposed to curing disease.
About 2% of the men participating in the trials experienced
a lack of desire for sex or difficulty in achieving an erection and reduced
production of semen.
If patients end treatment of Propecia hair loss returns to
previous levels, the study reports.
Propecia was a pill many analysts believed would rack up as
much as $300-million in sales in its first year. But in 1998, sales totalled
about $83-million worldwide, despite a $91-million advertising campaign.
Still, the drug's manufacturer noted more than 400,000 men in the United
States were using it after it was on the market for only one year.
The study was funded by the drug's manufacturer, Merck
Frosst Canada.
One of the Canadian participants in the study was
36-year-old Jim Tsatsos of Toronto. "My hair was starting to fall out and
that's why I went for a consultation. It was progressing quite quickly. But
ever since I have been taking the medication I haven't had any hair loss. I
may have had some minor growth as well. But certainly no hair loss."
Mr. Tsatsos said he is happy with his Propecia treatments
but cautions it is not a "wonder drug.
"But now I know I won't lose my hair or at least I'm
pretty confident I won't. And it's important because I would rather have hair
than not have hair."
by Tom Arnold National Post
http://www.nationalpost.com/search/story.html?f=/stories/20020131/1297464.html&qs=Tom%20Arnold
