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Does Aetna (CVS Health) Cover Finasteride?

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At a glance

  • Coverage check / Your plan's drug list entry for the prescribed strength
  • Finasteride 1 mg / Propecia, NDA 020788, approved 12/19/1997, male pattern hair loss in men only [1]
  • Finasteride 5 mg / Proscar, NDA 020180, approved 06/19/1992, symptomatic BPH [2]
  • Generic finasteride / FDA-approved generics must provide the same clinical benefit and risks as the brand [3]
  • Prescription status / Prescription-only in both strengths [4]
  • Compounded finasteride / Not FDA-approved [5]

Which finasteride product is on the prescription?

Finasteride is available as oral 1 mg and 5 mg tablets. Propecia is the 1 mg brand product and Proscar is the 5 mg brand product, each with its own approval and label [1][2].

Propecia is finasteride 1 mg, NDA 020788, approved 12/19/1997 and now held by Organon. It is indicated for male pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) in men only; efficacy in bitemporal recession has not been established, and it is not indicated for women [1].

Proscar is finasteride 5 mg, NDA 020180, approved 06/19/1992 and also held by Organon. It is indicated for symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia in men with an enlarged prostate: to improve symptoms, reduce the risk of acute urinary retention, and reduce the risk of surgery including transurethral resection of the prostate and prostatectomy. The label states it is not approved for the prevention of prostate cancer [2].

Both strengths are prescription-only [4].

Generic finasteride

FDA-approved generic medicines must provide the same clinical benefit and risks as their brand-name counterparts [3].

Compounded finasteride

Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, and FDA does not verify their safety, effectiveness or quality before they are marketed [5]. The FDA-approved finasteride products are oral tablets; Drugs@FDA lists no topical or injectable finasteride [1][2].

Frequently asked questions

Does Aetna cover finasteride for hair loss?
That depends on the plan's drug list entry for finasteride 1 mg, which is Propecia's strength, approved in 1997 for male pattern hair loss in men only and prescription-only [1][4].
Does Aetna cover finasteride 5 mg for BPH?
That depends on the plan's drug list entry for finasteride 5 mg, which is Proscar's strength, approved in 1992 for symptomatic BPH in men with an enlarged prostate. It is a separate product from the 1 mg tablet, and it is not approved to prevent prostate cancer [1][2].
Is generic finasteride the same as brand Propecia?
FDA-approved generic medicines must provide the same clinical benefit and risks as their brand-name counterparts [3].
Does insurance cover compounded finasteride?
Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, and FDA does not verify their safety, effectiveness or quality before they are marketed [5]. Coverage for a compounded product depends on the plan's terms.

References

  1. Drugs@FDA: FDA-Approved Drugs. Drugs@FDA: FDA-Approved Drugs
  2. Drugs@FDA: FDA-Approved Drugs. Drugs@FDA: FDA-Approved Drugs
  3. Generic Drug Facts | FDA. Generic Drug Facts | FDA
  4. U.S. National Library of Medicine, DailyMed. Propecia (finasteride 1 mg) tablets, Organon prescribing information. Propecia (finasteride 1 mg) tablets, Organon label
  5. Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers | FDA. Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers | FDA
Evidence overview for Does Aetna (CVS Health) Cover Finasteride?