Dangerous acne drug easier to get thanks to the FDA

by Brian White (Subscribe to Brian White's posts)
Dec 7th 2007 7:24AM

Many prescription drugs have been connected to birth defects, and millions of prescription drug patients are most likely very careful about what they put into their bodies.

But, a reprieve has come for some of them (in a manner of speaking), as the U.S. government announced this week that acne medication for women -- while still under the auspices of being linked to birth defects -- may be at least a little easier to come by.

The Accutane product is not supposed to be prescribed to pregnant women, and those taking it must have a month-by-month pregnancy test in order to have the prescription refilled. But, with more than 100 women becoming pregnant while taking the drug, the FDA announced this change: women of childbearing age who don't fill a prescription within seven days of a pregnancy test will be allowed to get another test and then fill the prescription - with the exception of the initial prescription.

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Comments (64)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

tempestrogue 12-10-2007 @ 6:55AM

A better question would be WHY would women who know what birth defects this drug can cause not be made to get something like the Norplants or a IUD for this prescription as well?? These arent always 100% guaranteed either, but they have got to be better and more reliable than hoping a woman remembers to take a pill or use a condom. Who would be responsible for the birth defects from this drug and caring for the children born with these defects?

sccallies 12-10-2007 @ 8:27AM

Only abstaining is 100% but they do require you to be on 2 types of birthcontrol from a list of the ones that are harder to get pregnant.

Amy 12-10-2007 @ 6:56AM

explain that to the children when they have deformities later in life!

lilyram25 12-10-2007 @ 7:05AM

I was on accutane at one time and you have to go through many counseling appt with your doc before beginning the medication. I had to be on birth control and had to use condoms. I was made to sign an agreement before beginning the medication. This is a very strong med but it really did work miracles for my acne and knowing what it could do if I were to become pregnant really made me be super careful about safe sex. I think that if a woman is taking this medication she needs to be held accountable for her actions and she needs to take extra precautions when on this medication.

CARSON 12-10-2007 @ 2:30PM

The deformities caused by this drug are terrible.

Jennifer 12-10-2007 @ 7:11AM

I took Accutane for 8-9 months and although I had had my tubes tied years earlier, I still had to go in for a monthly pregnancy test as well.

Ross Tapharian 12-10-2007 @ 7:31AM

Nevermind all the antibiotics and chemicals, all they do is hide the bacteria / virus / infection. Get yourself a good iridologist / homeopathic / wholistic doctor. Clean your liver, it is the detoxifier. Replenish the body with what it needs. Refined foods are depleting us and making us sicker, and sicker but no one wants to admit cause its going to challenge the powers at be. Stop thinking that a pill will solve your health problems and pay attention to what you eat. Heated / unrefined oils are the devil when it comes to acne. Cold, cold, cold water to keep the redness lighter. Keep those pores closed!

Theresa L. Kay 12-10-2007 @ 8:20AM

You obviously were not raised in the Pacifiv Northwest by Granola eatting Hippies and had beautiful skin all of your life and then WHAM one day out of no where, out of no change in your diet you get Adult Onset Boiles Acne!!! Do you know what that did to my life? Before you start blaming people for the way they eat and drink, study up, this is nothing to to with homeopathics,and beleive me, I do beleive in homeopathics! Accutane was the only thing that made me look normal again, and it was a Godsend!

Kali 12-10-2007 @ 7:26AM

For the people that really need this medication, it is a Godsent, I know that sounds extreme, but bad acne can ruin your life, people that have bad acne know what I'm talking about. Know what the heck your doing with any medication, this applies to everyone.

kfahey 12-10-2007 @ 7:39AM

Is it the drug company's fault if an idiot chooses to ignore its warnings and gets pregnant anyway? I was on Accutane and it changed my life for the better. I am no longer depressed and limited because of acne. No one can say they weren't warned, either. The medicine itself comes with DIAGRAMS of what your deformed baby could look like! This is the same problem in the education system--blame the teachers, not the parents.

liz 12-10-2007 @ 7:46AM

Ross,
Acne is caused by hormones, not by your diet. It's an overproduction of sebum that causes acne caused by hormones and stress. Food being the cause of acne has been an old wives tale that is slowly being discredited by scientists. I don't care how much fresh fruit and veggies and water one drinks to purify their system. When you hit puberty, and your hormones go crazy, one is going to start having acne. Retin a and the over the counter zapzyt products have been the only products that work at getting my skin clear.

tina 12-10-2007 @ 7:52AM

This is for tempestrogue.. You can't make a woman get Norplants or a IUD. It's the woman's responsibility whatever she choses for birth control. And as far as diet goes, severe cystic acne has nothing to do with that. I could starve myself and still get acne.

MELBA ANN WILLIAMS 12-10-2007 @ 7:55AM

MY BEAUTIFUL GRANDAUGHTER HAD A FEW ZITS AND CHOSE TO GET ON ACCUTANE. HER SKIN IS NOW FLAWLESS AND HER ESTEEM BOOST IS SO OBVIOUS, BUT WHEN I THINK OF THE POSSIBILITY OF HER CHILDREN HAVING BIRTH DEFECTS SOME DAY----THERE IS NO LONG RANGE STUDY ON FUTURE COMPLICATIONS---I REALLY CRINGE. ACNE IS ALL STRESS RELATED. TRY YOGA KIDS!

Theresa L. Kay 12-10-2007 @ 8:18AM

I was on Accutane, I now have two beautiful children, very healthy, very smart, no worries Grandma!

KeeperatHome 12-10-2007 @ 2:23PM

I took TWO courses of Accutane treatment, and like the previous poster, I too have two healthy children. I believe that once you finish the treatment and the drug is out of your system, pregnancy is not affected.

Janis 12-10-2007 @ 7:53AM

I can't figure out why they would keep this drug on the market. The drug company must be paying off the FDA.

cal 12-10-2007 @ 8:00AM

oxy 10- great product. put it only on the spot ,thr pimple itself. works great! over the counter.

Rasa 12-10-2007 @ 1:40PM

Oxy10 is shit. It is harsh chemicals that do away with a breakout, but if you don't continue using it, you will just break out again cos the harsh chemicals cause that reaction.

Accutane is what I need, but I am not going to take birth control when, thanks to cultural beliefs, I will not have sex till I'm married. I am afraid of birth control and the after affects it can have on women.

Joe 12-10-2007 @ 8:09AM

I was on accutane for 6 months. One thing they neglect to mention in this ad/article is that it also causes depression and suicidal thoughts. While on it i was suicidal. And now they want to make it easier to get? F the FDA

Rasa 12-10-2007 @ 1:54PM

If your doc didn't tell you about it, blame them. Not the drug cos they do warn about it. Ever since that kid flew a private plane into a building while on accutane.

All you people calling it dangerous, questioning why it is still used..The simple answer is it's only dangerous if you are dangerously stupid. If you get yourself knocked up on it, who is to blame? If you can't at least make sure you are taking a pill and having protected sex for just 6 months, you are bleeding retarded.

Accutane is good. It's not a dependent fix for adne like Oxy 10, Proactive, or any other over-the-counter chemical filled crap you find at the drug store. Don't you know how that stuff works?! It's harshness does get rid of a current breakout, but also irritates the skin to such a degree that if you discontinue use, you will break out again. It is not a cure of any sort. They make you dependent on it for the rest of your life. They work that way cos the makers want to keep making money off of you. I dunno about you, but I don't want to be a slave to that crap. Its not cheap, add it up for the rest of your life. I'm sure you could find a better use for that kind of money.