An Accutane patient in New Jersey required colon removal due to a side effect associated with the prescription acne medication. This victim received a favorable court ruling and is one of hundreds who have filed claims against Accutane’s manufacturer, Hoffman-LaRoche. Such litigations have produced further scientific and legal research regarding Accutane and similarly prescribed medications. Inflammatory Bowel Disease is one of the serious health risks patients may experience after taking Accutane.

Symptoms of IBD

IBD is a chronic condition that manifests with painful intestinal inflammation and swelling. The condition becomes chronic and many patients never fully recover. It is vital that patients recognize possible initial symptoms which include abdominal or side pain, diarrhea, rapid bowel evacuation, fevers, appetite loss and anemia.

Complications With IBD

Accutane users who experience IBD may develop complications related to the constant inflammation and irritation endured by the bowel. Complications include the production of ulcers, bleeding from the ulcers, a bowel rupture, a bowel obstruction and the possibility of colon cancer. Though numerical statistics correlating Accutane use and Inflammatory Bowel Disease are not readily available, physicians state that the number of patients treated for IBD and the number of these patients who have used Accutane is relatively high.

Accutane Side Effects

The medication is proven to be an effective treatment for severe acne, but patients have experienced serious health related risks including IBD. Other health conditions contributed to the use of Accutane include allergic reactions, premature deliveries, miscarriages and birth defects in unborn children, Chron’s Disease, liver diseases like hepatitis, elevated blood cholesterol levels and ulcerative colitis.

The entirety of causes for IBD are not known, but the correlation between patients taking Accutane and contracting the condition are acknowledged. Many persons were prescribed the medication prior to the extensive warning labels and FDA implemented programs. Health care providers at the time were ill or misinformed and thus could not pass vital information onto patients.