What Price Beauty? (Accutane hit piece alert)

The Boston Globe Magazine ^ | 4/27/2003 | By Ellen Rafshoon

[Paleo Conservative]

Although Accutane causes birth defects, many acne sufferers love the way the miracle complexion pill makes them look, and so do their doctors. That's why it has become the most widely prescribed birth-defect-causing medicine in the United States.

Many women might be reluctant to reveal their vanities, but Brenda McCoy boldly admits that she's always been concerned about her looks. "I take really good care of myself," says the svelte Orange County mother of four and part-time nurse who's finishing work toward her bachelor's degree at California State University. Despite her hectic schedule, the 40-year-old maintains her figure by running, biking, and power walking.

[Paleo Conservative]

Every few years yet another journalist runs a hit piece against accutane, because it causes birth defects in the children of women who become pregnant while taking accutane. The birth defects are severe (about as severe as those caused by thalidomide); however, they were well known at the time accutane was approved by the FDA in 1982. As far as I can remember, accutane has only been prescribed for women after extensive warnings about its potential to cause birth defects are disclosed. Also, this article fails to mention that more males have severe cystic acne than females. As usual for articles like this, it mentions the possibility of the FDA banning accutane even though there is no substitute for it.

[Hildy]

Accutane is a wonder drug for those who need it. They give extensive warnings to women about getting pregnant.

[beaversmom]

I had a friend that took accutane as an adult. Even though she had a total hysterectomy, they required her to take periodic pregnancy tests.

[Calpernia]

Waaaaay back when....I worked in the Drug Regulatory Affairs department of Hoffmann-LaRoche. We were still doing clinical trials on Accutane. Even after it was on the market. We WEREN'T allowed to use that drug on females of child bearing age.

The drug may work. But from the data I saw, is a few pimples worth it to women? I think not. That drug stays in your system.

[Paleo Conservative]

I really get angry about these accutane hit pieces. I successfully completed a five month cours of therapy on accutane nineteen years ago this month. For several years prior to going on accutane, I was under the care first of a my family physician then by a dermatologist to control a rather stubborn case of acne. I had to take antibiotics daily for several years trying to control it. My dermatologist would not put me on accutane when it first came out in September 1982, because she thought I was about to out grow my acne problem. By December 1983, she finally prescribed accutane for me, when my acne problem persisted despite her wishful thinking that I had outgrown it. After a five month course of therapy my acne was reduced by at least 97%. I will admit that the drug had lots of side effects (I had to take monthly blood tests to make sure I did not have liver, kidney, or other problems).

I get really tired of these muck raking reporters writing stories about how bad accutane is and how its use should be curtailed. I don't think they have considered the adverse physical and psycological consequences of uncontollable cystic acne. It's really easy to show pictures of disabled children who are victims of their mothers stupidity. On the other hand, it is really difficult to run a story about people who did not commit suicide because their treatment was successful.

[Paleo Conservative]

ccutane is a wonder drug for those who need it.

I absolutely agree. I have known several people besides myself who have used it. If any other therapy worked, I'm sure they would be used. Accutane is a drug of last resort.

[Hildy]

This is NOT a drug for women with a few pimples. This is a drug of last resort for people with intense, face-altering acne. It's not a joke.

[jlogajan]

Worked for me. Well, actually my acne started to re-emerge just a few years later. But I was clear for a couple years anyhow.

[Paleo Conservative]

The drug may work. But from the data I saw, is a few pimples worth it to women? I think not. That drug stays in your system.

I had a girl friend whose 20-year-old sister had never been on a date before going on accutane. I really doubt she was at any risk of having a child with birth defects. Who are you to say that no woman of child bearing age should allowed to take accutane?

[Calpernia]

Did you read my full post? I said I was part of the DRA of HLR. I know the entire history of the condition, drug and affects. Don't you dare accuse me of implying it as a joke. The data I've reviewed is NO JOKE. Watch your tone Hildy. I didn't refer to anything funny. The birth defects of the children from HLRs Puerto Rican Labs was no joke. Acne goes away!

[Calpernia]

>>>Who are you to say that no woman of child bearing age should allowed to take accutane?

Go back are read my post. THE FDA said that for our tests we monitored.

And if you are that severe emotionally about the cystic acne, it sounds more to me that you should be seeing a psychiatrist. From what I read, I see more signs of bipolar than cystic acne.

[Cold Heat]

My wife uses accutane for a severe skin problem. It helps some, but there is no cure for her ailment.

The pill container contains references to the dangers of pregnancy all over it. Each and every pill contains a warning sign on it.

In addition, people from the company stay in comunication with the user as well as the doctor with constant and serious warnings throughout the treatment period.

Their is no possible way for someone to say, I forgot or I did not know.

[Lancey Howard]

Accutane certainly works, but it doesn't seem that very much is known about all of its side effects. My son had severe acne and went on accutane. He was required to get regular blood tests to make sure his liver stayed healthy.

My son is also a baseball player, a pitcher.
Not long after he went on accutane he developed arm problems and found it painful to throw Nobody made any connection to the accutane. He tried everything under the sun and saw at least three different orthopedic doctors. He tried steroid shots and physical therapy and even tried prolotherapy - - all to no avail. It was very frustrating for him since pitching baseball is very important to him. He finally went to two different orthopedic doctors and begged for each one to approve surgery (surgery!) Fortunately, the doctors refused to give the go-ahead for surgery since the x-rays and MRIs showed no significant tears or any other problem. The pain was a mystery. No doctor that my son saw made any connection between accutane and his arm pain.

My son was on an accutane regimen (several prescriptions) for about a year-and-a-half. Guess what? Not long after he went off the accutane, his arm problems cleared up completely and he is throwing great again and getting ready for the summer wood bat league. We finally decided that the accutane not only dried up the oil in his face, it also dried up the oil in his joints. He noticed it mainly in his right arm because of the strain of trying to throw fastballs. (Although at one point he also complained about pain in his left shoulder as well but he didn't care all that much about it since he doesn't pitch with that arm.)

Anyway, I think that orthopedic guys and anybody else who deals with sports injuries should be sure to inquire about whether or not a patient is on accutane. It may be the answer to a patient's "mystery" pain. I would hate to think that an athlete would get needless surgery.

[Calpernia]

>>>>Nobody made any connection to the accutane.

No one thought of the accutane? That pain was due to blood circulation, no?

[Calpernia]

blocking of blood circulation.

[jocon307]

"Also, this article fails to mention that more males have severe cystic acne than females. As usual for articles like this, it mentions the possibility of the FDA banning accutane even though there is no substitute for it."

Well, maybe it should only be prescribed for men. Is there any evidence that use by the father is bad for the child, I'd guess not, based on the stuff in the article about the zygote (or whatever) needing to be implanted in the uterus.

If what you mean by "hit piece" is that the drug is blamed rather than the user, I agree. Guns don't kill people, people kill people. Accutane doesn't damage children, irresponsible females who want-what-they-want-when-they-want-it-and-if-they-don't-get-it-someone-or-something- other-than-themselves-is-to-blame do. Agreed.

Cripes, sometimes I hate my society, especially the women, with whom I'm forced to share a sex. (Share A sex, not share sex,lol). Can no one think of the children?

[Lancey Howard]

No one thought of the accutane? That pain was due to blood circulation, no?

No doctor gave the accutane a second thought. Like I said, we figured that the arm joints were all dried out of oil. (Of course, I am certainly no doctor and I don't even know if joints have oil to begin with. Just a theory....)

[Lancey Howard]

Heads up on posts #13 and #17.

Got any thoughts on this you want to share?

[Paleo Conservative]

The pain was a mystery. No doctor that my son saw made any connection between accutane and his arm pain.

I recall joint pain as being one of the potential symptoms I was warned about. I would not reccommend anyone have any kind of elective surgery while on accutane. Another symptom is that the rate at which tissues heal decreases greatly. I remember small incidental cuts that would normally have healed in a few days, taking weeks to heal. I also had problems with mucous membranes getting severely dried out. I got pink eye within a few hours of a piece of dust from a jack hammer at a construction site gently hitting my eye. To this day nineteen years after ending my therapy, my nasal cavity tends to be very dry, espcecially during cold dry weather.

[Calpernia]

>>>>Is there any evidence that use by the father is bad for the child

NONE! For some reason, the male body doesn't even retain it. Whereas, the woman's body will retain it even after she stops taking it for up to at least 3 months from what I remember.