| |||
| |||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Give Me Accutane or Give Me Death: The Politics of Prescriptions
Any teenager will tell you that acne can drive you crazy, but is it dismal enough to drive you to kill yourself? Since its market debut in 1982, enraged parents and lawyers have implicated Accutane in the hospitalizations and suicide deaths of over 200 teenagers in the US. Accutane (isotretinoin) is one of Hoffman-LaRoche's most popular and controversial pharmaceuticals. Doctors prescribe Accutane for patients with severe nodular acne that does not respond to systemic treatments with antibiotics. Michigan Democrat Representative Bart Stupak lost his son, BJ, to suicide in May of 2000 while the teenager was using Accutane. Since then, Congressman Stupak has led a crusade for further research to establish Accutane's risks of birth defects and psychiatric disorders like depression and suicide. While the safety of isotretinoin is hotly contested, there are previous Accutane users such as 21 year-old Krista Savino who view the drug as a Godsend. The antithesis of Congressman Stupak, Savino vows to do whatever she can to keep Accutane on the market. Savino sometimes experiences acne so severe that she deems her condition the "social equivalent of suicide". Accutane gives her clear skin and the confidence to leave her home without feeling overly self-conscious. Hoffman-LaRoche, following FDA guidelines, lists depression as a possible Accutane side effect. Notwithstanding, the link between isotretinoin and the development of depression and/or suicide remains marred. Like Senator Stupak, Dublin accountant Liam Grant, blames Roaccutane for the suicide death of his 20 year-old son, also named Liam. Grant alleges that his son exhibited signs of severe depression after taking Roaccutane in the months prior to his death. According the British newspaper, The Sunday Times, Grant has spent almost £500,000 on independent research to try to prove that Roaccutane causes depression. Grant hired Douglas Bremner, MD of the Emory University School of Medicine to conduct the investigation. Grant hopes to use this research to force Roche Pharmaceuticals to admit liability for Liam's death. Dr. Bremner's results, which were published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, have made strides in identifying Accutane's influence on the brain. Dr. Bremner explains that to invoke depression, isotretinoin must affect the brain. Dr. Bremner's Roaccutane study involved 28 healthy men and women between the ages of 18 and 50. During the investigation, brain function of the subjects was measured using positron emission tomography (PET) before and after four months of treatment with isotretinoin. Isotretinoin treatment was associated with decreased brain metabolism in the orbitofrontal cortex- the area of the brain known to mediate symptoms of depression. Yet, there were no differences in severity of depressive symptoms between the isotretinoin and antibiotic treatment groups before or after treatment. The study concluded that isotretinoin treatment is associated with changes in brain function. Dr. Bremner's findings call for further investigation of the drug isotretinoin. However, insufficient funding may impede such a study. The American Academy of Dermatology wants clinical trials to prove that isotretinoin causes depression or "psychiatric events" before it encourages stronger warnings and tighter regulations of the acne drug. Yet, the FDA does not have the funding to cover the testing. While delving into the affects of Accutane Dr. Bremner has come to agree with David J. Graham, MD, MPH- the Associate Director for Science and Medicine in FDA's Office of Drug Safety. Graham warns that Accutane should be taken off the market. Dr. David Graham paints a daunting image of how the FDA determines a drug's safely. He relates that using the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research's (CDER) standard for drug safety to a pistol holding 100 chambers. The gun symbolizes a drug while the bullets represent a serious safety problem with the drug. "Using CDER's standard, only when you have 95 bullets or more in the gun will you agree that the gun is loaded and a safety problem exists," explains Dr. Graham. He adds that if only 90 bullets were in the chamber, CDER would conclude that the gun is not loaded and the drug is therefore safe. The FDA is strengthening its risk minimization action plan (RiskMAP) for Accutane and generic version of isotretinoin in hopes of reducing the possibility of birth defects associated with fetal exposure to the acne drug. Women will now have to present negative pregnancy tests before filling their isotretinoin prescription each month. Some dermatologists have practiced this pregnancy monitoring without prodding from the FDA. This new measure makes no mention of depression or suicide that may result from isotretinoin usage. Dr. Bremner adds that patients taking isotretinoin have to be asked about depression, they don't just openly talk about it. Discussing symptoms of depression is an added measure that doctors prescribing isotretinoin can make to ensure the well-being of their patients. It's great to live in a country that inspires enterprise, invention and independence. All these things come with a price. The buyer gets to decide how much they're willing to pay. The FDA exists to protect the consumer. Whether you feel the FDA's efforts are insufficient or overbearing, you have medical options. Geoffrey Redmond MD, author of The Good News about Women's Hormones, suggests using hormone therapy and/or using Retin-A if Accutane seems too risky for you. Health author and Noixia campaigner Naweko San-Joyz lovingly writes from her home in San Diego. Her works include "Acne Messages: Crack the code of your zits and say goodbye to acne" (ISBN: 0974912204) and the upcoming work "Skinny Fat Chicks, Why we're still not getting this dieting thing" (ISBN: 0974912212) for release in June of 2005. For useful acne self-help articles visit http://www.Noixia.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Medicine - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Zyprexa - History of the Drug Since the beginning of mankind, mental illness has played a role in our society. Victims of such illnesses have been outcast, stereotyped and often ridiculed. Understanding Tumescent Liposuction Tumescent liposuction is done using a local aesthetic. A large volume of saline solution containing the aesthetic and a drug called "Epinephrine" is injected directly into the areas where there are excessive fatty deposits. Electric Wheelchairs When you search online for Electric Wheelchairs, like any other things, you will face a situation, where you will need to choose a provider out of so many companies that offer the service. The search engines will bring you thousands and thousands of results when you type the phrase "Electric Wheelchairs. ADHD - Are there Treatment Options? As an ADD coach I am often asked about the treatment options available for Attention Deficit Disorder. Generally when someone says "ADD" the first thing that will come to the layperson's mind is 'Ritalin' or an image of a hyperactive "Dennis-the-Menace" type. Aleve, Vioxx, Celebrex, and Bextra: What You Need To Know About Arthritis Pain Medications Recent controversy about the safety of pain medications for arthritis has left patients and health care professionals alike confused about which medications are safe to use. In fact, a recent survey by the Boston-based Rippe Lifestyle Institute indicated that many people with arthritis are suffering unnecessarily because they have stopped or reduced their use of pain relievers due to confusion about which drugs are considered safe. The Arthritis Pain Reliever... A New Program That Just Might Make You Younger! For years, it's been known that regular daily exercise is one of the most important activities that people can engage in to promote good health.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) are trying to help people follow through with exercise prescriptions written by their physicians. Are You Sometimes Confused by Written Medical Instructions? Now, imagine what it would be like if you were sick, scared and had only third grade reading skills. Your doctor tells you, "You'vegot to follow these instructions exactly, or you could die. A Guide to Arthritis Pain Relief In a recent survey on pain conducted by the Stanford University Medical Center, arthritis pain was cited as the chief complaint among America's seniors, with thirty-two percent of the senior population listing arthritis as the specific cause of their suffering. Arthritis does strike children and young adults as well, although it afflicts the mature segment of the population more frequently. How You Can Erase Low Back Pain Using the Latest Medical Techniques! "If you're one the nine out of ten adults in the United States who suffers from low back pain, I have good news for you!" states Dr. Nathan Wei, a board-certified rheumatologist and Clinical Director of the Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of Maryland. Is Anxiety Ruling Your Life? Anxiety is the most frequently occurring mental health disorder in the United States, according to the US Surgeon General. There are millions of people who are diagnosed with it every year. Utah Drug Rehab: Searching For A Therapist Finding the right treatment for any person suffering with a drug abuse problem can be a difficult task - where do you start, how do you know what to look for, how do I find a good therapist or treatment center in my area? Thankfully, there are many resources to help you find the help that you or a loved one need - here are some tips to help you locate Utah drug rehab help.There are many online directories that compile records of qualified therapists and centers nationwide, and you can use these to find Utah drug rehab help by simply entering your particular location into their search engines. Are You Suffering From Addiction? Many researchers believe that addiction is a behavior that can be controlled to some extent and also a brain disease. And since some testing with functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) found that all addictions tend to cause nearly the same reactions inside the brain, there could be one type of control model for addiction health-related issues. Amazing Shoulder Pain Reversing Secrets! Whether you're a weekend athlete, or a gardener that overdid it, or a person with arthritis, there's hope for you. According to Dr. The True Meaning of Alternative Medicine Alternative medicine is a type of therapeutic practice that is not considered to be a part of traditional or conventional medical treatment. People use alternative medicine instead of using traditional medical treatment. Technology Over Drugs for Stress Related Tension Disorders As much as 95% of the population suffers from some form of reoccurring stress and tension related headaches.Although not normally debilitating these headaches affect work productivity and add to the billion dollar cost of sick days and time off. High Cholesterol Prescription Medications Can Kill You The World Health Organization declares that heart disease is the number one killer worldwide. High cholesterol is a major contributor of heart disease. 22 Inside Tips on How You Can Make Your Arthritis Medicines Work Twice as Effectively in Half the.. This report will give you 22 important tips to make sure that you're getting the very best out of your arthritis treatment program.1. Spin Control: What to Do When Youre Dizzy Dizzy Dean, the great baseball pitcher of the 1930s-1940s, once quipped, "The doctors x-rayed my head and found nothing."That is as good an analogy as any in describing what often happens to patients with the symptom of dizziness. Finding the Medical Supplies you need! It's now possible to locate and purchase a wide variety of Medical Supplies on the internet. Whether you're looking for Medical Supplies for your medical practice or your looking for home health care needs, just about anything can be found through searching online. Thalidomide Thalidomide is responsible for causing more than 10,000 children to be born with birth defects.A West German Pharmaceutical Company first introduced Thalidomide as a sedative or sleep aid in 1957, and scientific testing determined that Thalidomide was safe, before it was introduced.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
