Degarelix

Is Degarelix safe?

Trial and label adverse event data

All androgen deprivation shares the same side effects. These are hot flushes, weight gain, fatigue, loss of libido and erectile dysfunction. Bone density falls. Over time, metabolic changes raise cardiovascular risk. In CS21 these effects were similar across arms. ¹²

Injection-site reactions are specific to degarelix. They were much more common than with the intramuscular leuprolide shot. Patients had pain, redness and swelling at the abdominal injection site, mostly after the first dose. The label lists raised liver enzymes and QT-interval prolongation on the ECG, as it does for agonists. Degarelix is not approved for women or children. ¹²

A 2026 analysis used the FDA's adverse event reporting system through 2024. It found a disproportionate number of interstitial lung disease reports for seven antiandrogen drugs, degarelix among them. Most reports came from Japan. The authors call the signal exploratory and say it needs validation. ³

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Reference information only, not medical advice. Drawn from the Degarelix article, fact-checked against the cited sources. No dosing anywhere on this site.