Another tragic suicide linked to acne drug Roaccutane

http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/our-happy-go-lucky-luke-changed-after-taking-acne-drug-colchester-family-say-after-son-s-suicide-1-5005927

The tragic suicide in May 2017 of 21 year old Luke Reeves is so sad and one wonders if the consultant who prescribed the drug Roaccutane (isotretinoin) was taken in by the manufacturer's claim that suicides linked to the drug are 'rare'. The need to monitor patients on some drugs know to have psychiatric adverse effects is often not followed.

isotretinoin called Accutane in the USA and Roaccutane in the UK is a drug derived from Vitamin A with known serious adverse side effects, works for some people to reduce their acne - but for others it can lead to tragic ill health, long term depression and in some cases suicide.

I just sent the following information to a journalist:

My main comment is that parents should look a the pharmaceutical company data sheet

http://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/32477

 which states under the heading
 4.4 Special warnings and precautions for use:

Psychiatric disorders

Depression, depression aggravated, anxiety, aggressive tendencies, mood alterations, psychotic symptoms, and very rarely, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts and suicide have been reported in patients treated with isotretinoin (see section 4.8). Particular care needs to be taken in patients with a history of depression and all patients should be monitored for signs of depression and referred for appropriate treatment if necessary. However, discontinuation of isotretinoin may be insufficient to alleviate symptoms and therefore further psychiatric or psychological evaluation may be necessary

And further, what they found in the original clinical trials is nothing to go by as the clinical trials can be rigged (talks on APRIL’ Vimeo site by Dr BenGoldacre https://vimeo.com/15986864

 

and Prof David Healy explain how this is done! Even if they reccon 1 in 10,000 dies by suicide how many millions are given the drug and how many hundred or thousands of families lose their lovely kids. – oh and the MHRA admit less than 10% of serious ADRs (Adverse drug reactions) are reported!

The data sheet also contains the following information for istotretinoin /Ro-Accutane under the heading:

4.8 Undesirable effects

Psychiatric disorders: Rare (≥ 1/10 000,<1 o:p="">

Very Rare (≤ 1/10 000)

Depression, depression aggravated, aggressive tendencies, anxiety, mood alterations

Abnormal behaviour, psychotic disorder, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, suicide

Nervous system disorders:

Common (≥1/100, <1 o:p="">

Very Rare (≤ 1/10 000)

Headache

Benign intracranial hypertension, convulsions, drowsiness, dizziness