Parents Sue Acne Drug Company In Son's Suicide; Son Stepped In Front Of Train

KNBC-TV/DT Los Angeles ^ | 10.9.03

[Devil_Anse]

Thank you. It's the least I can do for myself when I am going to pay the prices that are charged for prescription drugs. The doctor also should be obligated to know his patients b/f prescribing for them. Drugs work differently in different persons; a doctor is paid to know that; the rest of us yahoos aren't.

[weegee]

Was this the same drug the kid, that flew his plane into a building, here in FL was taking?

That was how they originally tried to spin it. They also tried to spin him as being a young conservative, Tom Clancey fan, and they said that his plane crash was not a terrorist act. Only some of those things was true:

Police release Charles Bishop suicide note (15 yr old Tampa plane suicide, Osama sympathizer)

I have prepared this statement in regards to the terrorist act I am about to commit.

First of all, Osama bin Laden is absolutely justified in the terror he has caused on 9-11. He has brought a mighty nation to its knees!

God blesses him and the others who helped make September 11th happen.

The U.S. will have to face the consequences for its horrific actions against the Palestinian people and (illegible, could be Iraq?) by its allegiance with the monstrous Israelis who want nothing short of world domination!

You will pay - God help you - and I will make you pay! There will be more coming!

Al Queda and other organizations have met with me seversal times to discuss the option of me joining. I didn't.

This is an operation done by me only. I had no other help, although I am acting on their behalf.

Osama bin Laden is planning on blowing up the Super Bowl with an antiquated nuclear bomb left over from the 1967 Israeli-Syrian War.

Sounds like a terrorist to me (even if he was a crackpot). Additionally he called his act "terrorist" (whether it was him or someone else who crossed the word out of his letter). After all, it appears in his first sentence. He could have just started the letter over...

[OXENinFLA]

Thanks for the letter.

I've hadn't read it up till now.

I'm glad (sad to say) that this boy is not drawing breath on American soil any more.

----------

"Osama bin Laden is planning on blowing up the Super Bowl with an antiquated nuclear bomb left over from the 1967 Israeli-Syrian War."

Wasn't this the movie w/ Ben Afflect in it?

[weegee]

I don't know about the movie but some posters in 2002 said that the plot was stolen from a Tom Clancey novel.

I do know that the contents of that letter were withheld from the public until after the Super Bowl. I also know that there was never any alert to the public regarding the Super Bowl threat prior to that game.

[jocon307]

Yes, absolutely one must not get pregnant while on Accutane. It is a very effective, and very powerful drug. While the suicide link may be merely annecdotal, the severe birth defect link is quite well proven.

But I have known a few people with acne bad enough to warrent taking a super powerful drug to cure it. However, It seems to me that acne is declining. My daughter is 17, and I can't think of seeing even one of her friends, teamates, or even just the kids at the HS in general who has really bad acne, as did quite a number of kids I went to HS with.

[JohnBovenmyer]

Authorities said young Werthheimer was last prescribed a two-week supply of the drug five months before his suicide.

The half life of Accutane is about a day and a half . The drug is not stored in the body. Even with its high risk of causing birth defects at medically low dosages pregnancy is considered safe after one month off Accutane. After 4+ months there should be zero risk of Accutane having anything to do with this.

Was this the same drug the kid, that flew his plane into a building, here in FL was taking?

That kid had just gotten his initial prescription a day or two before and there is no evidence he'd even filled the prescription yet, much less take any of it. Autopsy found no Accutane in his body. The only place Accutane was found was in his family lawyers' greedy claims.

Dr probably told them to read the literature that says it can cause suicidal tendencies.

The FDA mandated written informed consent for Accutane (and its generics) includes many statements on its alleged links with depression and other mental illnesses. These mandates were in place before this kid would have started his therapy. Accutane involves more paperwork and government restrictions than any other drug I prescribe.

Not only is the rate of suicide in Accutane treated patients much lower than in the general population, but also in a better control population, people with severe acne. The rate of depression is also lower in Accutane treated patients in multiple population based studies. Certainly for the average kid with severe scarring acne that has failed all other treatments Accutane becomes the best "happy pill" in the world. It's delightful to follow these kids as their faces clear. Alas Accutane can't prevent all depression and depression can be a serious disease. In 18 years of prescribing it I've had 3 patients become mildly depressed while still taking it. After talking things over with the patients, their families and, where appropriate, mental health professionals all 3 chose to complete their Accutane courses. All had both their acne and their depression resolve.

The popularity of the alleged Accutane suicide link is the result of sad luck and politics. A Congressman from the Detroit area had his son commit suicide some time after finishing Accutane. The grieving parents fixated on the Accutane as the 'cause' of his suicide. I don't believe his case was any more related to Accutane than was this case, but his dad has great media access and sits on a subcommittee overseeing the FDA. Now there is bandwagon of lawyers chasing the issue.

Taking off my Dermatologist hat for a second, if anyone thinks I'm insensitive to the suffering of these parents they would be seriously wrong. I lost a cousin the same way, although he never was on Accutane. I understand what they must be feeling all to well.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Parents Sue Acne Drug Company In Son's Suicide; Son Stepped In Front Of Train

Somebody got the song all wrong!

You put one foot up
You put the other foot up
Put another foot up
And you're on board
The drug train...

[HitmanLV]

Wasn't that kid who flew the plane into the Bank of America building in Florida also supposedly driven batty by acne medicine?

Gees, what a strange world.

[tubebender]

Yes, I thought the Road Runner was finally going to get his come-uppence...

[JohnBovenmyer]

However, It seems to me that acne is declining.

I don't think that is the case. Rather kids with significant acne are getting more and better treatment than in the past. And a big part of that, for the really severe cases, is Accutane. Before Accutane came out (in either '82 or '84, I forget which) much of the really severe acne failed all treatment and left people scarred for life. After Accutane those kids usually do well. The downside of generally successful treatment is that kid's expectations have risen to unrealistic levels. The only perfect treatment for acne is more birthdays.

[jocon307]

"Rather kids with significant acne are getting more and better treatment than in the past."

Well, yes, this is probably a big part of it. And there is no doubt that Accutane is a wonder drug for acne. Something that when it is bad is far worse than just 'a few pimples'.

[Devlin]

Accutane is one of the most highly scrutinized drugs on the martket. You HAVE TO counsel patients extensively on side effects, (including depression and the risk of inducing birth defects.) At issue is the real reason why the civil court exists, which is to redistribute other people's money. Since you no longer have to prove specific gross negligence, the issue boils down to, "can we label a victim, and does anybody in a ten mile radius have money we can confiscate?"

[RedBloodedAmerican]

#52 for quote of the day!

[Poohbah]

FWIW...the suicide rate for those who take Accutane is well BELOW the norm.

[Devil_Anse]

Wouldn't surprise me.

I just don't want to fail to follow my own instincts, or gut, when it comes to my own child.

There are many medicines that are safe to take during pregnancy, for example. But I vowed to shun ALL medication during pregnancy, b/c my instincts told me to do so. (Not to mention that my aunt, a doctor's wife, took DES during her pregnancies, thinking it would cause no problems.) It gave me peace of mind. I also prayed that I would not develop any condition that would absolutely require medication during that critical time. I didn't, thank God.

I may be wrong or I may be right, but at least if I follow my own gut feeling, I have peace of mind.

[RJayneJ]

Thanks for the nomination! };^D)