Accutane Lawsuit 2010

by admin on June 14th, 2010

If you have used Accutane and suffered a serious side effect, you may be able to pursue an Accutane lawsuit 2010 claim.

What is Accutane?
Accutane is the brand name of the drug Isotretinoin. It was created by Hoffmann-La Roche, a United States drug manufacturer, and used to treat acne. Accutane was discovered in 1979 when it was given to people who had severe acne, most of whom saw dramatic, permanent clearing of their symptoms. Accutane comes in pill form and is a Vitamin A derivative. It is administered for 15 to 20 weeks and then stopped. Accutane was initially prescribed for people with serious acne that did not respond to other treatments, but it has been more frequently prescribed in the last 25 years for less severe acne. This practice has been criticized because it has caused serious side effects. In 2009, Hoffman-La Roche discontinued manufacturing Accutane because of that company’s dwindling market share.

What are the Accutane side effects?
Accutane has caused the following serious side effects:

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Crohn’s Disease
• IBS
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Birth Defects

Accutane FDA Warning
The FDA has required a black box warning be put on all containers of Accutane, warning of all risks associated with the drug. A black box warning is the FDA’s strictest warning.

Accutane Lawsuit 2010
If you have suffered serious Accutane side effects years later, you may be able to file a lawsuit. An Accutane lawsuit can be filed in any state within the United States. However, not every lawsuit can be successful. A New Jersey appeals court did not hold Hoffmann-La Roche liable for birth defects caused by its product because the company had warned doctors and patients about the risks of the medication. Likewise, a federal court did not rule in favor of a man who suffered severe inflammatory bowel disease after taking Accutane and had to have most of his colon removed. In that case, the court ruled in favor of Accutane’s manufacturer because the man could not produce the deceptive warning label he claimed that he received. On the other hand, patients who were prescribed Accutane before Hoffmann-La Roche warned about the serious risks of taking Accutane have had successful lawsuits. In fact, in February 2010, a man was awarded $25 million in a lawsuit against Hoffmann-La Roche for failing to warn of side effects, after he developed inflammatory bowel disorder.

If you or a family member has suffered from inflammatory bowel disease or IBS, please contact us for a free no-obligation consultation. We can help explain your legal options including being part of an Accutane lawsuit.