Oily skin, which often leads to acne, is a common problem that many people face. When over the counter remedies don't do the trick, prescription medications such as Accutane (isotretinoin) become the perfect answer; or so it seems.

Accutane is a type of Vitamin A that helps reduce the amount of oil secreted by glands. It is usually prescribed as a last resort, after many other types of acne medications fail to improve one's skin. Accutane can cause serious birth defects and women should not take Accutane if they are pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant. To obtain an Accutane prescription, women must sign a contract which requires them to use two specific forms of birth control and have regular pregnancy tests before, during, and after their treatment.

In March of 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) created the iPLEDGE program to replace the failed SMART program. iPLEDGE is mandatory for physicians and pharmacists giving out Accutane. The iPLEDGE program is intended to prevent the use of the drug during pregnancy due to the high risk of birth defects associated with the drug.

While birth defects have been the only serious and widely acknowledged side effect of Accutane for over ten years, many reports of gastrointestinal disorders have been reported to the FDA recently. The most common types of gastrointestinal disorders include Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, and Acute Pancreatitis. Due to these life-threatening conditions, Accutane patients have filed around 5,000 personal injury law suits against Hoffman-LaRoche Inc., the manufacturer of Accutane.

We are currently investigating claims related to Accutane. We urge you to contact us for a confidential evaluation if you or a loved one has experienced serious side effects as a result of Accutane.