FDA Panel Rejects Prostate Drugs for CA Prevention from MedPage Today

An FDA advisory panel has voted overwhelmingly that GlaxoSmithKline's dutasteride (Avodart) and Merck's finasteride (Proscar) should not be used to prevent prostate cancer because the drugs are linked to a higher incidence of high-grade tumors.

Although the 5-alpha reductase inhibitors were shown to prevent low-risk cancers better than placebo, clinical trials painted a disturbing link between both drugs and an increased incidence of higher-risk prostate cancers.

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