Cheaper Proscar, A Bargain

Can I buy Proscar instead of Propecia and put it on my insurance? Is it as good as Propecia?

Finasteride is the generic name for Propecia (1mg) or Proscar (5mg). They are exactly the same medication. The drug company that hold patents on the drug determines the pricing in such a way that the 1mg pill is almost the same price as the 5mg pill. Some people try to cut the 5mg pill into 1/4 or 1/5 sizes, so that it should be the same value as the 1mg pill. Certainly, 5mg pills are far less expensive mg-for-mg than 1mg pills.

With regard to using your insurance, most insurance companies will only cover prescriptions that are for medically necessary reasons, not for purely cosmetic reasons. When I write the prescriptions, if a patient asks me for Proscar, I will write the directions to cut the pill into 1/4 pill. If the drug store gets authorization for Proscar from the insurance company, then so be it, but most of the time they will not abe able to obtain insurance authorization for use by young men. I am not familiar with which insurance companies routinely authorize Proscar.