Accutane is an oral medication that improves the condition of acne when topical medications are unsuccessful. Since its release in 1984, the medication has been linked with several adverse side effects, including suicide, birth defects and bowel diseases.

In June 2009, Hoffman-LaRoche, the manufacturers of Accutane, issued a recall following a lawsuit verdict awarding more than $33 million in damages to Accutane injury victims.

Accutane Side Effects - Suicide, Birth Defects, Bowel Disease

Accutane first received attention when many claimed the drug caused psychiatric changes in patients, including depression and suicide. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning to health care professionals to carefully monitor Accutane users for signs of depression following more than 142 reports of Accutane-related suicide.

Many claim the drug also causes birth defects and fetal death, as well as problems with the liver, kidneys, central nervous system and pancreas.

The June 2009 lawsuit represented several Accutane victims who claimed the drug caused them to develop serious bowel diseases, including:

• Crohn's disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Ulcerative colitis

Accutane Lawsuits

Roche decided to withdraw Accutane from the market in June 2009 after losing a product liability lawsuit. Several other claims have found the company guilty of improperly warning consumers of the life-threatening side effects of Accutane.

Victims who have taken Accutane and experienced the adverse side effects should contact the talented defective drug attorneys of Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis and Overholtz. They have years of expertise representing defective drug victims and can potentially award victims millions of dollars in damages.

To learn more about filing an Accutane lawsuit, contact AWKO Law at (888) 255-2956.