Accutane Recall | Accutane Lawsuits
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche Holding AG has abruptly pulled its acne medication Accutane off the market in the United States and eleven other countries. Accutane (isotretinoin) has been on the market since 1982 and is sold under several other brands by other firms as a generic product. Roche is citing pricing competition from the generics for Accutane’s withdrawal, but the reality is that there are over 5,000 product liability suits pending against the firm because of side effects associated with the drug.
In November of 2008 a New Jersey jury awarded $13 million in damages to three plaintiffs who had developed severe gastro-intestinal health problems including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as a result of using Accutane. The jury found that Roche had been negligent in advising physicians of the potential dangers associated with prescribing Accutane. In April of 2008 a Florida man was awarded in excess of $10 million for a similar suit filed against Roche. To date, the company has been hit with over $33 million in damage awards from product liability suits over Accutane side effects.
The drug has been controversial for years, and has long been associated with birth defects caused by Accutane use during pregnancy, and with mental health issues including depression and suicidal tendencies. The FDA issued a warning to health professionals in 2005 regarding side effects with Accutane. In 2007, the FDA took the extraordinary step of posting a webpage warning consumers about buying isotretinoin over the internet without a prescription because of its association with birth defects and mental health issues.
If you or someone you know has suffered a bowel diseas as a result of Accutane. Please fill out the Free Case Evaluation form and we will have a skilled lawyer speak with you free of charge in order to determine if you have a viable claim.