Over-Prescription of Acne Drug Accutane Despite Side Effect Risk
Tuesday, 15 February 2011 08:48
Over-Prescription of Accutane Opening the Doors to Side Effect Lawsuits
When a medication proves itself to be highly effective in terms of what it’s formulated to treat, people naturally become excited and begin to look for potential new uses for this medication. When it comes to Accutane, this acne medication proved itself to be highly effective in treating severe forms of cystic acne however Accutane side effects have given cause for concern. Unfortunately, the early reviews led to expanded use, and this expanded use eventually led to calls for help to Accutane injury attorneys. Below is a brief overview of this troubling medical and legal issue.
Accutane Prescriptions Despite Risk of Side Effects and Injury
As stated above, Accutane proved itself to be extremely effective in treating severe forms of acne after it was originally introduced to the American market in 1983. Unfortunately, this led to the prescribing of Accutane for much milder forms of acne, even though the medication was never approved for this purpose.
Accutane’s manufacturer, now known as Hoffman-LaRoche, was not going to complain or raise the issue publicly, as Accutane helped to generate billions of dollars in revenue annually. Unfortunately, the over-prescription of Accutane led to the exposure to serious Accutane side effects for millions of unsuspecting users.
Accutane Side Effect Lawsuits from Defective Drug Attorneys
These Accutane side effects were revealed over time, and they were extremely troubling. A study that was ultimately published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology concluded that people who used Accutane were four times as likely to develop the side effects that were linked to Accutane as opposed to those who did not use this medication.
These Accutane side effects include serious and many times permanent problems with a patient’s intestines and gastrointestinal system. Specifically, these Accutane side effects include Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and inflammatory bowel disease. Many patients had to endure radical surgeries and permanent life changes as a result of using Accutane.
If you or someone you love has also suffered as a result of using this medication, you need to seek the help of Accutane lawsuit attorneys who have been holding drug manufacturers accountable for the harm they have caused for years. Contact the Phillips National Injury Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.