On May 29, 2007 a jury returned a $2.62 million verdict against Hoffmann La-Roche Inc. and Roche Laborotories, the manufacturers of Accutane. The case involved a man who took the popular acne medication for four months and then developed Crohn's disease. Accutane has been linked to serious gastrointestinal conditions including:
Since its release in 1982, Accutane, also known as Isotretinoin, has become one of the best selling drugs ever. Between 1982 and 2000 over 20 million prescriptions for Accutane have been written worldwide. The unbelievable popularity of Accutane was fueled by the stigma society has placed on acne, which unfortunately overshadowed the dangerous side effects linked to the drugs use. The drug, which was initially approved for severe cases of acne only, became widely prescribed to patients with less serious cases of acne.
For years it was believed that Accutane was linked to Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Ulcerative Collitis and Crohn's Disease. 85 cases of Inflammatory Bowel Disease associated with the use of Accutane were reported to the FDA between 1997 and 2002. In a review of these IBD cases, which was published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, the association between Accutane and Inflammatory Bowel Disease is clear. The review determined that it was "highly probable" that 4 cases (5%) were directly related to Accutane use, 58 cases (68%) were "probable," and 23 cases or 27% were "possible". In fact, researchers could not rule out Accutane as the cause of IBD in any of the cases.
If you or a loved one was prescribed Accutane or a generic version of Isotretinoin, and developed Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Crohn's Disease or Ulcerative Collitis you have legal rights. Contact Mark & Associates, P.C. today for a free Accutane lawsuit consultation. You can request a free consultation by calling 1-866-50-RIGHTS (1-866-507-4448) or by completing a case evaluation form on the right side of this page.