Researchers now have evidence that the common acne drug isotretinoin (Accutane) may be a trigger for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in some people. The authors of the study indicate that this connection should be taken into consideration before isotretinoin is prescribed for people who have a strong family history of IBD or people who already have symptoms of IBD. The connection had been suspected for several years, and the patient information for isotretinoin includes a warning that the drug may be associated with the onset of IBD.
Sources:
Reddy D, Siegel CA, Sands BE, Kane S. Possible Association Between Isotretinoin and Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Am J Gastroenterol. 2006;101:1569–1573.
Acne med may trigger bowel disease. Reuters. Aug 15, 2006.
Accutane Patient Information. Roche.
I received Accutane when I was 16, it was a new drug back then. I’ve been suffering from Crohns since I turned 18. I’m now 48 and still suffer yearly since then. Sure makes me wonder.
I’ve heard a lot of similar stories, and there’s apparently enough of a connection that juries awarded some people a lot of money. I wonder how this drug can cause IBD? Does it attack the intestine?
I too was prescribed Accutane for acne when I was about 17 and within the same time frame I developed Crohns. Since then I have suffered many, many serious flare ups and am just now at the age of 42 recovering from the most serious flare up yet.
I only learned about the possible connection the other day when I heard about the $25 million suit on a brief news clip on NPR. I just about drove my car off the side of the road in surprise. It’s always been a mystery to me how I got this disease and it is somewhat of a relief to finally have a potential clue. It simply serves to reinforce my belief that our bodies are fragile natural miracles and that filling them with chemicals and unnatural stuff is poisonous.
A jury’s decision does not a causal relationship make.