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.