The BBC has discovered that some online sites are prescribing men a hair loss drug, finasteride, with potentially dangerous side effects, all without proper and consistent safety checks.
Finasteride can cause side effects such as suicidal thoughts and impotence. However, some big – name companies are sending the pills by post without ever meeting or talking to the customer. The investigation was launched after the BBC heard stories from men through the “Your Voice, Your BBC News” initiative.
Take 26 – year – old Kyle from Wakefield. He filled out a simple ‘tick – box’ form online and bought the pills. Now, he deeply regrets his hasty decision. His life has been completely disrupted.
Kyle started taking finasteride last spring, after a friend recommended it. He did some research, but ordering it online was shockingly easy. “I just typed it in on Google and all these online pharmacies showed up,” he said. “It’s everywhere and so easy to get.” The pills arrived at his doorstep within a week, and there was no doctor consultation, no Zoom call, and he didn’t have to send any pictures to prove he had male pattern baldness.
Since taking the drug, Kyle has had problems with his sexual, mental, and physical health. These issues, which he never had before, have continued even after he stopped the medication. “Life just feels grey. It’s like it’s taken away my emotions,” he said. “It stripped everything from me – my personality, and I stopped going out with friends, stopped playing football, and had all these new problems.”
Finasteride is one of the most common hair – loss pills in the UK, taken by tens of thousands of men. It’s only available with a private prescription. It works by preventing testosterone from turning into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that can stop hair growth.
Kyle took the drug for about six weeks but stopped after having suicidal thoughts. In late April 2024, just weeks after Kyle got his prescription, UK regulators took urgent action. They said finasteride packs must have a special safety alert card warning about the small but serious risk of side effects like suicidal thoughts and sexual problems.
After hearing from other men like Kyle, the BBC asked a male colleague to buy finasteride from three leading online providers to see what safety checks were in place. Hims mentioned the side effects. Superdrug offered a paid chat with a doctor. Only Boots asked for a photo of hair loss. And when the packs arrived, none had the new patient alert card that drug makers were supposed to add.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory agency says manufacturers have up to a year to comply, but it might take longer as older packs need to be sold first. Boots, Hims, and Superdrug say they ask online finasteride customers to confirm they’ve read and understood the risks. They also say until the alert cards are available, users can read the long patient information leaflet in the medicine pack to learn about side effects.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society says online prescribing can be helpful, especially for patients too embarrassed to visit a doctor. But the checks must be strong. James Davies, the RPS director for England, said, “Whether it’s online or in – person, thorough checks are crucial. That means taking a full medical history and discussing the medication, its side effects, risks, and benefits.” He also suggested sharing hair – loss photos with the prescriber and having a video call to talk about everything.
The British Association of Hair Restoration Surgery (BAHRS) believes patients shouldn’t get the drug just by filling out an online form. Greg Williams, a hair transplant surgeon and BAHRS vice president, says while finasteride is a good treatment for many, the small risk of serious side effects must be clearly explained and closely watched. “There are patients with risk factors that could make finasteride a risky prescription. I’m not against prescribing it, but patients need proper counseling.”
Europe’s drug regulator is conducting its own safety review of finasteride, which could lead to a ban.
Nearly a year after first ordering the drug, Kyle deeply regrets taking finasteride. “It’s just a small pill. You take it without thinking about the consequences,” he said. “Every day I blame myself. I had a great life and didn’t need to risk it for hair. It was vain of me… but when you’re insecure, you do stupid things. If I’d known what it could do, I never would have taken it.”
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