The Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche Holding AG invented the drug Accutane more than three decades ago for treatment of the most severe forms of acne. The drug was introduced in the United States by Hoffman La Roche, a subsidiary U.S. drug maker, in 1982. Accutane has been used by more than 13 million people over the years.

The drug, which has both supporters and detractors, has become highly controversial for various personal injury side effects claimed to be suffered by its users, including wrongful death. A recent study in the American Journal of Gastroenterology notes a link between Accutane and inflammatory bowel disease ("IBD"), and numerous lawsuits - indeed, thousands - have been filed against La Roche, with several large judgments won by plaintiffs alleging that Accutane was responsible for the onset of bowel problems. User have also cited side effects that include birth defects, vision problems, liver damage, strokes and seizures, various gastrointestinal ailments  and a host of other disorders. At the center of multiple lawsuits filed recently are claims that Accutane has also caused users to suffer from depression and suicidal thoughts, and some patients have in fact committed suicide while taking the medication.

Accutane has been prescribed under several names, including the following: Amnesteem, Decutan, Istane, Ratane, Sotret, Claravis and the generic medication Isotretinoin.
 
Hoffman La Roche discontinued the manufacture and distribution of Accutane in the United States in June 2009. The company cited a widespread use of generic brands as the reason it pulled the product off the market, but market share of Accutane was already noticeably dwindling owing to the adverse publicity surrounding the thousands of serious side-effect claims and the barrage of lawsuits against the company.

Any person who was prescribed Accutane and suffered serious side effects from its use is entitled to seek legal recovery for harms suffered and  medical expenses. An experienced personal injury attorney can provide further information.

Related Resources: www.lawyersandsettlements.com "Accutane: Conflicting Results from Scientific Studies" October 2, 2010

www.drugwatch.com "Accutane Lawsuit"