Users of Accutane (isotretinoin) have a four times greater chance than non-users of getting ulcerative colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease, says a new study. This is a significant statistical difference. It’s important to note that this applies to all forms of isotretinoin, including not just Accutane but also generic versions of the medication. Some examples of generic versions are Amnesteem, Isotret and Sotret.
The American Journal of Gastroenterology published the study. It confirms there is empirical data proving the relationship between isotretinoin (the active ingredient in Accutane) and inflammatory bowel disease. IBD, the acronym for inflammatory bowel disease, includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
Many people do not know that Accutane was originally a drug for chemotherapy. It is effective at killing the body’s cells. It was later approved to also treat acne. Although it had strong warnings about some of its side effects, it was prescribed to a number of patients whose acne was not particularly serious. However, it was meant to be used for only the most serious cases of acne that did not respond to other treatments.
Accutane’s side effects were significant and wide-spread. Roche, the manufacturer, removed the drug from the market in the United States and several other countries in 2009. However, the company still sells the drug in a number of other countries. One of the reasons Roche gave for taking it off of the market was the personal injury lawsuits filed users from their Accutane side effects, most notably inflammatory bowel disease. More than $55 million in jury verdicts has been awarded so far against Roche in Accutane lawsuits despite the fact that Roche denied the accusations in those cases.
In this particular study, researchers at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill decided to test the relationship between isotretinoin (Accutane) and inflammatory bowel disease. Based on an examination of the data, they concluded that users of isotretinoin were four times more likely to have ulcerative colitis than those who did not use the drug. They did not find any evidence that acne in and of itself increased the risk of IBD. The link was between isotretinoin and inflammatory bowel disease.
How does Accutane result in inflammatory bowel disease? This has been debated by scientists. The belief is that Accutane somehow affects the immune system. This is because inflammatory bowel disease results from problematic functioning of the immune system. The immune system reacts, or continues to react, when it does not need to. This eventually results in inflammatory bowel disease. Considering that chemotherapy drugs can significant affect the immune system, this makes sense.
Accutane side effects can be severe. People have had portions of their colon and rectum surgically removed as a result of the inflammatory bowel disease they had after taking this drug. Even less severe cases can be debilitating and chronic.
Anyone who has taken Accutane, is currently taking it or is thinking about taking it should be very careful. It is wise to get medical advice before taking the drug and be closely supervised by a doctor while taking it. Because of the link to inflammatory bowel disease, potential users may want to examine other alternative with their doctor that have less serious side effects than this chemotherapy drug.
And that’s not all. Additional information can be found at Accutane and inflammatory bowel disease or at Accutane Lawyer.
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