November 25 2009, 2:35 pm PT | Posted in: Drugs
Dr. Rassman other than stating that sal palmentto has not been proven to block DHT. Do you have a professional opinion to the clams of many who have benefited from taking Sal Palmentto?I have been taking Propecia for years and stopped hair loss. However I must cease buying Propecia due to economics and have been looking for a clear honest opinion.
Thank you
Saw palmetto may help stop hair loss, and you’re welcome to try it, but it is not certain that it does what people on the internet claim. In my professional opinion, it has not been proven to be effective.
We all know that generic drugs cost less than the name brand, but there is no generic 1mg finasteride available legally in the US at this time due to patent laws. So ask your doctor for a prescription of the 5mg generic finasteride and let him/her know that you’ll cut it into 4 pieces (making it nearly the same as Propecia). This will be a significant savings for you. The cost of the 5mg generic finasteride at Costco is $5/month, which is possibly cheaper than saw palmetto and with more certainty that it will work.
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Dear Dr. Rassman, I agree that there is no finasteride 1mg available legally in the US but I must add few things about that:
1. The FDA approved Dr. Reddy’s generic version of Propecia 1mg back in 2006. There is no reason why not to buy generic Propecia if possible outside the US.
2. There is no law against getting finasteride in the internet if the seller is not from the US.
3. Merck charges an unreasonable price for Propecia, this is why people buy generic versions in the net.
4. The 5mg is for prostate enlargement, most doctors will refuse to prescribe it for hair loss. I tried that before. If a monthly supply costs $5 in cosco and doctors would have prescribed it - no one would have buy Propecia.
5. Cutting 5mg pill to equal 5 pieces is almost impossible. It is also inconvenient to use pieces of pills. Can be a cheap replacement to Propecia though, but the generic made in India versions are much more easy to use in my opinion.
Love your blog!!!
John
http://www.baldness-cure.org
John,
1. These are unlicensed pharmacies and you’re putting yourself at risk. I can’t condone it. Dr Reddy’s generic 1mg is approved, but it is still protected by patent law and cannot be sold in the US legally.
2. “According to the NABP, about half of online pharmacies that offer a prescribing service are located outside the U.S., and purchasing drugs from these companies can be illegal.” (source: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=47206)
3. I understand why people buy generics.
4. Depends on the doctor.
5. I said to cut it into 4 pieces specifically because cutting into 5 equal parts would be difficult.
For more, see: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/ucm080588.htm
Dear Dr. Rassman, thank you for your answer,
These are actually dealers, who usually open on off-shore company somewhere outside the US, contact with an Indian manufacturer or supplier who drop ships the orders that are taken online. Such a dealer can’t operate from inside the US due to patent violations and as he is not licensed to sell medicines (he is not a licensed pharmacy), this is why they are registered off-shore. “Can be illegal” - so it can be legal as well. Nothing strict, and I’ve never heard of any law or enforcement about that. If the US law would have prevented citizens from buying generic medications for personal use online - it may be a constitutional rights violation. As you know, many people use these so called “pharmacies” (selling sites) because they have no other choice, they can’t afford even a visit to a doctor as they don’t have medical insurance and even if they can, some of the medications are too expensive. Sure, there are many scams and fakes in the internet and one must be prudent. Still, there are dealers who gained good reputation over the years, and when you order from them you do get an original made in India medication.