Pennsylvania Personal Injury Blog

According to a recent study, Vitamin A and retinoic acid, often used in the acne treatments Retin-A and the drug Accutane, may exacerbate a person’s celiac disease, reports CNBC. Those who suffer from celiac disease are unable to eat certain foods, such as cereal, pasta, and beer, and may also cause tissue damage.

PubMed reports that celiac disease is a medical condition that damages the lining of a person’s small intestine and prevents it from absorbing parts of food that are important for staying healthy. The damage is caused by a reaction to gluten, which is found in barley, rye, wheat, and possibly oats.

Accutane (the brand name of the prescription drug Isotretinoin) is used to treat severe recalcitrant nodular acne and relieve the symptoms of various other skin conditions and even some cancers. However, there are several potentially dangerous side effects associated with Accutane, including inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Drug manufacturers are responsible for designing and creating pharmaceutical products that are safe and will not pose any harm to patients. Pharmaceutical companies must provide accurate and thorough warning labels for potential side effects and risks.

If you or a loved one has suffered serious side effects from taking Accutane or another drug, the Accutane attorneys at Cherry Fieger & Marciano, LLP have the legal knowledge and resources necessary to build a strong case on your behalf. Our lawyers have years of experience successfully litigating pharmaceutical drug cases and can help you hold negligent manufacturers liable for any injuries that were caused by their prescription drug. Call us today for a free consultation at 888-684-2374.

As of January 2001, over 5,000 individuals have filed lawsuits against Roche Pharmaceuticals, the makers of Accutane. These lawsuits claim that Accutane caused severe bowel problems, including inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, and similar chronic conditions.

Roche Pharmaceuticals took Accutane off the U.S. market in 2009. However, even though the National Institutes of Health and other medical institutions had documented that Accutane use was linked to birth defects, an increased risk of suicide, and bowel disorders, Roche mentioned none of these when it explained to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) why it was taking Accutane off the market. Instead, Roche merely said that it was discontinuing Accutane because the drug faced too much competition from generics.

As a result, in 2010 the FDA released a statement saying that Roche had given it no reason to believe that Accutane was discontinued for causing medical problems. Roche continues to deny that Accutane causes an increased suicide risk, even though Accutane labels carry this warning.

Several Accutane-related lawsuits have been filed in New Jersey and are set to go to trial this year. We will continue to watch the cases develop to determine what Roche did and did not know about the possible dangers of Accutane use.

If you or a loved one has taken Accutane and now suffers from an inflammatory bowel condition, please don’t hesitate to contact the experienced PA Accutane injury lawyers at Cherry Fieger & Marciano, LLP. We will investigate your case thoroughly and help you seek the compensation you deserve. Call Cherry Fieger & Marciano, LLP today at 888-684-7192 for a free and confidential case evaluation.

Many trials on the damaging side effects of Accutane are scheduled for this coming year, as patients who have suffered inflammatory bowel diseases after taking the popular acne drug are bringing claims against its manufacturer, Roche Pharmaceuticals reports Drug Watch.

Currently, over 2,500 people have filed lawsuits against Roche for damages caused by Accutane, and many have been settled out of court. All seven cases that have gone to trial have returned in favor of the plaintiffs, many of whom are permanently crippled with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or other inflammatory diseases that attack the lower intestines. Some of those who have filed suit against Roche have also had portions of their colon or lower intestines removed. The New Jersey courts that hear the Accutane cases have placed a temporary hold on hearing them since a 2008 verdict was overturned on appeal, requiring a retrial.

Accutane was first marketed in the U.S. in 1982. Since then, over 16 million people have taken the drug. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration began looking into complaints about inflammatory bowel disease, birth defects, and other conditions related to Accutane use in 2002 and pulled the drug from the U.S. market in 2009.

If you or someone you love has taken Accutane and later developed an inflammatory bowel condition or suffered any other side effects because of the drug, you should strongly consider talking to an experienced Pennsylvania Accutane lawyer. The attorneys at Cherry Fieger & Marciano, LLP have the legal resources and practical experience that is needed to protect your legal rights and fight aggressively for the compensation you deserve. Call Cherry Fieger & Marciano, LLP today at 1-888-684-7192 for a free and confidential consultation.