Accutane usage has been linked to severe psychiatric consequences, including:
- Suicidal (Ideation) thoughts, suicide attempts
- Depression
- Psychosis
- Aggressive/violent behaviors
- Changes in personality, mood swings and emotional instability
- Paranoia
- Withdrawal
- Other abnormal behaviors
The Food and Drug Administration currently has more than 234 reports of suicide among Accutane users worldwide over the last 21 years, including 179 in the United States.
In addition, Congressional hearings have documented over 1,373 psychiatric adverse events other than suicide, all related to Accutane usage. Several lawsuits have been initiated on behalf of Accutane users who committed suicide.
One extremely distressing fact about these Accutane related suicides is the lack of warning. Even under close supervision, an Accutane user can appear well-adjusted. The onset of suicidal depression appears to be extremely sudden and unpredictable. Accutane's deadly psychiatric side effects were brought to the public's attention through the efforts of Congressman Bart Stupak whose teenage son Bart Jr. committed suicide while using the drug. Stupak's work has been very important to discovering Accutane's manufacturer Hoffman-La Roche's policy of covering up and denying these severe psychiatric side effects.
Hoffman-La Roche has also stated that for some Accutane patients who reported depression, the depression went away when they stopped using the drug. In addition, Hoffman La-Roche informed physicians that simply discontinuing Accutane use would not necessarily correct psychiatric disorders and that some disorders might require further psychiatric therapy.
The risks associated with taking Accutane are so great that the FDA has taken the remarkable step of requiring each dose to come with a Medguide listing the side effects (the only other drugs to ever require a Medguide are Thalidomide and Mifeprex [mifepristone]). The following are quotes directly from the FDA Medguide:
"Some patients, while taking Accutane or soon after stopping Accutane, have become depressed or developed other serious mental problems. Symptoms of these problems include sad, "anxious" or empty mood, irritability, anger, loss of pleasure or interest in social or sports activities, sleeping too much or too little, changes in weight or appetite, school or work performance diminishing, or trouble concentrating.
Some patients taking Accutane have had thoughts about hurting themselves or putting an end to their own lives (suicidal thoughts). Some people tried to end their own lives. And some people have ended their own lives. There were reports that some of these people did not appear depressed."
Perhaps the most distressing part of Accutane's tendency to cause severe psychiatric side efforts is the fact that Hoffman-La Roche has been aware of this for more than 20 years.
If you or a loved one have taken Accutane and have experienced any side effects including birth injuries, miscarriages, depression or even suicidal behavior, contact us immediately at 800-966-4999 and see why our law firm has recovered over $100 million on behalf of our clients.
