accutane lawsuit

A History of Accutane Side Effects

Shay Morrigan | February 7th, 2012 | Posted in Accutane Lawsuit News

In 1982, when the FDA approved Accutane (isotretinoin) for the treatment of severe acne, many hailed it as a miracle cure, something that could not only help treat the acne, but give those who suffered from it new hope and confidence in their daily lives. Unfortunately, serious Accutane side effects gradually came to light, driving many individuals to seek the advice of an Accutane lawyer about filing an Accutane lawsuit. To date, manufacturer Hoffman-LaRoche is defending over 6,000 cases regarding the medication.

What is isotretinoin, and how did it lead to Accutane side effects?

Accutane, or isotretinoin, is a derivative of vitamin A, which was used in extremely high doses to treat acne as early as 1930. Side effects like dry hair, fatigue, itchy skin, and bone and joint pain prohibited its widespread use, however.
In the 1960s, researchers at the Roche laboratories in Switzerland began studying 13-cis retinoic acid (also known as isotretinoin) as a treatment for skin cancer (it proved ineffective), and later discovered its ability to treat acne. Researchers also noted the compound could cause serious birth defects.
Later studies in the 1970s at the National Institutes of Health also discovered the acne-clearing effect. Isotretinoin would later become Accutane, and Accutane side effects like birth defects would be one of the first complaints against the drug.

Mothers seeking an Accutane lawyer for Accutane birth defects

In January 1982 the FDA approved Accutane, classifying it as a pregnancy category X, which indicates the risk to the fetus outweighs any benefit from using the drug during pregnancy.
In 1989, in a further attempt to help mothers avoid Accutane side effects in their newborns, Roche introduced the Accutane Pregnancy Prevention Program, and added a boxed warning to the label.
Later surveys showed that as more women used Accutane, many were not receiving the correct information with the drug, and more were becoming pregnant and thus exposing babies to Accutane side effects. Two more programs—SMART and iPLEDGE—were put into place before these issues were finally brought under control.

Patients consult an Accutane lawyer about gastrointestinal diseases

Though other Accutane side effects came to light in the 1990s, such as Accutane depression and suicide, the next big wave of Accutane side effects that would lead thousands to seek the advice of an Accutane lawyer was related to inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs).
IBDs are a group of disorders that cause the intestines to become inflamed. Symptoms may include bleeding, diarrhea, weight loss, vomiting, and cramping and pain. In 2006, the American Journal of Gastroenterology published a study linking Accutane to gastrointestinal Accutane side effects.
In 2009, Hoffman-LaRoche withdrew Accutane from the market, citing expenses incurred defending suits brought by plaintiffs who had hired and Accutane lawyer, as well as increasing competition from generics. The company maintains that the drug does not cause IBD.