Merck's Prostate Drug Proscar Doesn't Weaken Bones, Study Finds
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Merck & Co.'s Proscar, which helps to shrink enlarged prostates, doesn't increase a man's risk of hip fractures and may actually help prevent them, research found.
In a study of men 45 and older, those who took Proscar had a 23 percent reduced risk of hip fractures versus those who didn't, said the study's lead author, Steven Jacobsen of Kaiser Permanente in Pasadena, California. The research, published in tomorrow's Journal of the American Medical Association, was done because the drug slows problematic prostate growth by interfering with hormones that are key to strong bones.