Accutane in the News

The news that Accutane is being taken off the market has likely worried a lot of parents whose teens are taking this powerful acne medicine.

Although most people know about the possible serious side effects of Accutane, including severe birth defects if a women becomes pregnant while taking Accutane, serious mental health problems, including depression, psychosis, and suicide, bad headaches, gastrointestinal problems, bone and muscle problems, and vision and hearing problems, many continue to take it to treat their severe nodular acne that has not responded to other treatments.

The good news for these patients is that only brand name Accutane is being taken off the market. Other generic versions of Accutane (isotretinoin), including Amnesteem and Claravis, will still be available. According to Roche Holding AG, the maker of Accutane, the decision to take Accutane off the market was not because it was not safe, but rather because they could no longer compete with generic versions of the drug.

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