The prescription medication Accutane has been targeted as the cause of severe inflammatory bowel disease for hundreds of patients worldwide. The medication, originally intended for use as a chemotherapy drug in cases of pancreatic and brain cancer, has been implicated in hundreds of lawsuits for causing chronic illness in people who have used the medication. Some cases have already been decided in favor of the plaintiffs, and Accutane manufacturer Hoffman-LaRoche has been ordered to pay millions of dollars in damages.

Millions Awarded to Accutane Patient

In one New Jersey case, Andrew McCarrell was awarded more than $25 million for the pain and suffering he endured after using Accutane for 4 months. McCarrell became so ill that he had to have a large portion of his colon and rectum removed. Recent medical advances have allowed him to survive without carrying a colostomy bag. Jurors found that Accutane did not carry adequate warnings of inflammatory bowel disease on its labels. The manufacturer ceased production of Accutane in 2009, but several cases are still pending from patients who used the drug while it was still available.

Legal Cases Pending

Over 400 lawsuits have been filed in the U.S. related to inflammatory bowel disease contracted after using Accutane. The link between Accutane and bowel disease has not been clinically proven, but there is strong evidence that there is a correlation between the two. The slow onset of inflammatory bowel disease symptoms paired with the tendency for doctors to restrict Accutane usage to short periods of time have made it more difficult to pinpoint the direct link between the medication and the subsequent illness. Researchers have concluded that in over 80 cases Accutane was the probable cause for the illness.

Accutane's Medical Purpose

Accutane was originally developed to help treat cancer. It contains ingredients that attack cancer cells very quickly and neutralize them. It was found to be effective in cases of extreme acne, as well, and the manufacturer received permission to market it as an acne cure as well as a chemotherapy agent. Accutane is used as a last resort acne medication when there are no other options and the acne has not responded to any other treatments. Doctors are reticent to prescribe Accutane because of its documented side effects, which include inflammatory bowel disease and psychiatric problems.

How Accutane Treats Acne

Accutane is very effective at reducing serious acne. It causes the oil producing glands of the face to shrink, which makes them produce less oil. The use of Accutane can cause a person to become overly sensitive to the ultraviolet rays of sunlight because it nearly eliminates the production of protective oils. The skin and lips can become dry and chapped very easily when a person takes Accutane. It is usually prescribed for a few weeks at a time and carefully controlled by the prescribing physician the entire time a patient is on the medication.

Serious Side Effects of Accutane

There are other side effects of Accutane that are considerably more dangerous. Studies have shown that Accutane can cause deep depression, which can lead to suicidal thoughts. More than 200 Accutane users have committed suicide, which prompted the FDA to require that Accutane carry a warning label about the possibility of suicidal tendencies. Accutane also leads to digestive problems, including lesions and ulcers along the digestive tract. Cases of severe inflammatory bowel disease have led to colon extraction and seriously impacted the daily lives of many Accutane patients across the United States. Most inflammatory bowel diseases have no known cures, so patients must learn to handle their illness for the duration of their lives.

Symptoms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

There are several recognizable symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease. The earliest symptoms tend to be overlooked because they are relatively mild. Join pain, fever, and faint nausea may be experienced for several weeks before more painful symptoms appear. Once the intestines become fully inflamed, however, the symptoms are difficult to ignore. They can include intense pain in the lower stomach, vomiting, painful diarrhea, and black, tarry stools. There also may be blood in the stools. Extreme weight loss and anemia can also accompany inflammatory bowel disease.