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drug_recall accutaneThe relationship between Accutane and depression has been known for over twenty years. Accutane is a prescription drug that was approved by the FDA in May 1982 to treat severe recalcitrant cystic acne. Accutane has since been widely distributed to patients with mild or moderate forms of acne. Some research estimates that twenty times the amount of people who are prescribed Accutane for its intended use are prescribed Accutane for more moderate forms of acne.
A report of Accutane and depression side effects first surfaced almost immediately after the drug was first approved for use in the United States. In 1983 Accutane''s maker, Hoffmann-La Roche, received reports of attempted suicide in patients taking Accutane. The first suicide was reported in association with Accutane use in 1984. Several cases of Accutane and depression were reported to the drug''s maker by 1986. This was also the year that La Roche first acknowledged the link between Accutane and depression.
The link between Accutane and depression has only strengthened in subsequent years as thousands of reports have shown that serious adverse psychiatric side effects have been caused by Accutane use. The link between Accutane and depression in many cases has been proven by what is called rechallenge. Rechallenge means that a person experienced depression or other psychiatric symptoms while taking Accutane, went off the drug and the problems ceased, then began taking the drug again and experienced a resurgence of negative psychiatric symptoms.
Between 1998 and 2000, 54 suicides, 51 suicide attempts, 111 suicidal ideations, and over 1000 adverse psychiatric symptoms were caused by Accutane use. Reports of Accutane and depression from 2002 indicate that almost 150 people have committed suicide as a result of taking Accutane. In most cases these patients had no prior history of depression or suicidal inclinations prior to taking Accutane.
In 1998 the FDA required that patient packaging information for Accutane include the following warning, “Accutane may cause depression, psychosis and rarely, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, suicide, and aggressive and/or violent behaviors. Discontinuation of Accutane therapy may be insufficient; further evaluation may be necessary.” La Roche has publicly acknowledged the strong causation between Accutane and depression yet has made no effort to protect their patients from the serious adverse psychiatric side effects associated with their product.
In November 2004, Accutane was listed as one of the top five drugs most dangerous to human health by the federal Food and Drug Administration. This ranking was made in part because of the link between Accutane and depression. Accutane use is also associated with a number of other extremely harmful side effects including severe birth defects, spontaneous abortion, impaired vision, Chrohn''s disease, anaphylactic and allergic reaction, erratic bone growth, skin problems, hearing impairment, elevation of blood fat, joint inflammation, and a variety of other negative health consequences.
Thirty-six-year-old Andrew McCarrell of Moody, Alabama was awarded $119,000 for his past medical expenses and $2.5 million in compensatory damages to cover his future medical costs and for pain and suffering in a jury verdict awarded yesterday. His law...
A new study warns that approximately one in three patients who took the acne drug Accutane experienced a rise in cholesterol levels and more than 40 percent showed increased levels of triglycerides, or blood fats—a higher percentage than what previous ...
Ever since Accutane made its 1982 U.S. debut, intended to treat severe forms of acne that failed to respond to other treatments, it has been the source of medical and regulatory controversy. Now, a Florida lawsuit against Accutane drugmaker Hoffmann-L...