Use of Accutane Results in Severe Pain for Patients

Accutane (isotretinoin) was developed in 1982 for the treatment of severe acne. It has been used by more than 16 million people worldwide before an Accutane recall was issued in June 2009, and the brand name medication was discontinued. Roche cited the cost of defending against accutane lawsuit as a factor in their decision to stop selling the name brand of the medication in the U.S.All of the Accutane suits include allegations that the drug maker failed to adequately warn users about potential accutane side effects. The company lost the first six cases that went to trial so far, with verdicts totaling $56 million. Roche has also reached Accutane settlements in other lawsuits for undisclosed amounts.

Accutane has also been associated with accutane inflammatory bowel diesase; problems of the liver, kidneys, central nervous system, and pancreas; and cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and autoimmune systems problems.
Andrew McCarrell’s Accutane bowel disease suit was originally filed in 2003 and first went to trial in April 2007, resulting in a jury award of $2,619,000. However, following an appeal the verdict was overturned and the case was remanded for a new trial so that Roche would be permitted to introduce evidence on the total number of Accutane uses. Following a second trial in January 2010, another New Jersey state court jury awarded McCarrell $159,540.19 to cover his medical bills and another $25 million in compensation for pain and suffering damages caused by Accutane.

Most recently, we wrote that Accutane has been associated with severe, and possibly fatal, skin reactions, including erythema multiforme [EM], Stevens-Johnson syndrome [SJS], and toxic epidermal necrolysis [TEN].McCarrell took Accutane in his 20s and alleges that Hoffmann-La Roche did not appropriately warn of the Accutane side effects; McCarrell ultimately required colon removal.Information provided about the potential Accutane bowel dangers has been vague and confusing, leaving many prescribing doctors and their patients unclear about the extent of the risk and impact of the damage it can cause. Thousands of individuals throughout the United States are pursuing an Accutane caseagainst Roche Laboratories, Inc. and their subsidiary Hoffman La Roche, Inc, as well as several makers of generic Accutane.