There have over 3000 Accutane lawsuits brought against Hoffman-LaRoche, Accutane’s manufacturer, for its severe and sometimes fatal side effects. The risk of Accutane side effects is so great that the FDA named Accutane one of its top five most dangerous available drugs. On May 2, 2008, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that Accutane lawsuits are considered a mass tort, and consolidated the Accutane lawsuits in Atlantic County, NJ, under the guidance of the Honorable Carol E. Higbee. Accutane has been linked to conditions similar to vitamin A toxicity which appears to be dosage related. Scientific studies have suggested that Accutane adverse reactions could include: birth defects, depression, Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and ulcerative colitis.
Lawsuits against Roche and Accutane have already cost the company over $50 million and, with the thousands of lawsuits pending in court; Roche is looking to settle as quickly as possible. In 2009 Roche pulled Accutane from the market, siting competition from generic brands and the mounting legal cost of fighting Accutane lawsuits as the reason for its withdrawal. Andrew McCarrell, 38, blamed the drug for his inflammatory bowel disorder. In May 2007, he filed an Accutane lawsuit after developing an extremely severe case of IBD. McCarrell needed to have his colon and most of his rectum removed.
Accutane warnings state that there is a small possibility that Accutane users will develop IBD. An FDA study reviewed 85 cases of Accutane users who developed IBD and concluded that there is a causal link between Accutane use and IBD. IBD causes inflammation in the stomach, mouth and intestines. IBD has also been linked to Accutane users who had no history of stomach or intestinal problems. IBD will not automatically stop with the discontinued use of Accutane. A serious case of IBD may require ongoing treatment. Ulcerative Colitis is when Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) affects the large intestine. Ulcerative Colitis causes inflammation and decay of the inner lining of the large intestine. Ulcerative Colitis causes the whole rectum and large intestine to become swollen leading to symptoms such as diarrhea (that may appear bloody) and abdominal pain.
My son took Accutane in 2007 and was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in spring of 2009. We filed with an attorney in TX in August, 2010 and received a letter from them that because it was a generic brand of Accutane, they could not represent us. Does anyone know if there can be a lawsuit against the generic makers? Colitis is nasty and medication is expensive. Please help if you have any information.
ReplyDelete