Accutane
From: Pitt Acne medication was likely causing John Mullarkey's depression and a mental disorder when he killed his Gateway High School girlfriend after she told him it was over, defense witnesses testified Thursday. Attorney Robert Stewart presented the heart of his defense to an Allegheny County jury, bolstering his claim that Mullarkey, 20, was suffering mental side effects from the drug Accutane when he stabbed cheerleader Demi Cuccia, 16.  "Accutane seems to have a very checkered past with respect to side effects," said Dr. Dan Wagner, a Hampton pharmacologist testifying in court for the first time. He said Accutane played a role in the killing. "There are warnings about depression, psychosis, and suicide," he said. "I don't think the FDA would (require) that unless there was a problem with the drug." Wagner, who has a degree in pharmacy from Duquesne University, operates a store, NutriFarmacy, which specializes in natural herbs and supplements. Testimony from defense psychiatrist Dr. Robert Wettstein offered a glimpse into the moments before Cuccia was stabbed and what he said Mullarkey was thinking. Wettstein has testified on multiple occasions in criminal and civil court. Wettstein testified Mullarkey told him that Cuccia invited him to her Monroeville home Aug. 15, 2007. When he arrived she gave him a hug and a kiss and then turned angry, telling him she was sick of him. "He said he felt criticized, castigated, like garbage, like (he) wasn't a person. He said she was sitting on the couch. He kneeled on her, and she punched him," Wettstein said about his jail interview with Mullarkey. "He recalled pulling out the pocket knife but he could not recall stabbing her." |
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From: News Accutane is being pulled from the market by its maker, Roche AG. According to the Associated Press, Roche said the decision to withdraw Accutane was made for economic rather than safety reasons. But as anyone who reads this blog known, over the past couple of years, Roche has lost several Accutane lawsuits, and been ordered to pay more than $33 million to people who claim they were injured by the drug. Approved by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in 1982, Accutane has been the subject of controversy for years. It first garnered attention in the late eighties for causing severe birth defects. It has also been known to cause psychiatric problems, and has been linked to hundreds of cases of suicide in the United States. Accutane has also been associated with problems of the liver, kidneys, central nervous system, and pancreas, as well as the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and auto-immune systems.  Most recently, Roche lost several Accutane lawsuits brought by people who claimed the drug caused them to develop inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In November 2008, a New Jersey jury ordered the company to pay $13 million to three such plaintiffs. The previous April, another New Jersey jury awarded $10.5 million to a woman who blamed the drug for her ulcerative colitis. In May 2007, another New Jersey trial resulted in an award of $2.62 million to a patient who needed to have his colon and most of his rectum removed after taking the drug. In October that same year, a Florida jury awarded $7 million in damages to another Accutane user who developed the IBD. In announcing its decision to pull Accutane, Roche did cite the high cost of product liability suits - it currently faces 5000 such lawsuits - involving the drug. But according to Bloomberg.com, the company also said a reevaluation of its product line had shown Accutane faced serious competition from generics. Roche said Accutane will be pulled in the U.S. and 11 other countries. The last date for distribution in the United States was June 25. According to Reuters, Accutane is now no longer available from Roche directly but patients may still be able to get it from pharmacies. |
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Accutane is used to treat the most severe form of acne (nodular acne) that cannot be cleared up by any other acne treatments, including antibiotics. In severe nodular acne, many red, swollen, tender lumps form in the skin. These can be the size of pencil erasers or larger. If untreated, nodular acne can lead to permanent scars. However, because Accutane can have serious side effects, you should talk with your prescriber about all of the possible treatments for your acne, and whether Accutane's possible benefits outweigh its possible risks. What are the possible side effects of Accutane?Accutane can cause birth defects, premature births, and death in babies whose mothers took Accutane while they were pregnant.Serious mental health problems, including depression, suicidal behavior, or psychosis. Psychosis means a loss of contact with reality, such as hearing voices or seeing things that are not there.
Brain/Head Injuries. Accutane can increase the pressure in your brain. This can lead to permanent loss of sight, or in rare cases, death. Stop taking Accutane and call your prescriber right away if you get any of these signs of increased brain pressure: bad headache, blurred vision, dizziness, nausea, or vomiting. Also, some patients taking Accutane have had seizures (convulsions) or stroke.
Stomach problems Certain symptoms may mean that your internal organs are being damaged. These organs include the liver, pancreas, bowel (intestines), and esophagus (connection between mouth and stomach). If your organs are damaged, they may not get better even after you stop taking Accutane. Stop taking Accutane and call your prescriber if you get severe stomach, chest or bowel pain, trouble swallowing or painful swallowing, new or worsening heartburn, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, yellowing of your skin or eyes, or dark urine. Bone and Muscle Problems. Accutane may affect bones, muscles, and ligaments and cause pain in your joints or muscles. Muscle weakness with or without pain can be a sign of serious muscle damage. If this happens, stop taking Accutane and call your prescriber right away Hearing problems. Some people taking Accutane have developed hearing problems. It is possible that hearing loss can be permanent. Stop using Accutane and call your prescriber if your hearing gets worse or if you have ringing in your ears. Vision problems.
While taking Accutane you may develop a sudden inability to see in the dark, so driving at night can be dangerous. This condition usually clears up after you stop taking Accutane, but it may be permanent. Other serious eye effects can occur. Stop taking Accutane and call your prescriber right away if you have any problems with your vision or dryness of the eyes that is painful or constant. |
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