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Accutane Settlement

Hoffman-LaRoche Pharmaceuticals introduced the severe acne prescription medication Accutane in 1982, and the LaRoche Group – one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world – has claimed that the drug previously netted $1.2 billion annually in sales. The main ingredient in Accutane restricts glands from lubrication. While great for curing acne, the drug can be dangerous if prescribed carelessly, or is not monitored properly.

Lawsuits Against Accutane

The generic name, Isotretinoin appears in prescription forms under several other names. Accutane is one of three drugs on the market with the most reports of severe side effects. While being at the top of the list in sales, Accutane is also the most litigated. An estimated 13 million people have used Accutane since 1982. Lawsuits have been brought against the LaRoche Group most often for reactions causing suicides, gastrointestinal disorders, and birth defects after using Accutane.

Accutane and Suicide

Complaints against La Roche Pharmaceuticals were first filed in 2001 as users and/or their families blamed the acne medication for causing psychiatric effects ranging from depression to suicide. The LaRoche Group won the first Accutane lawsuit after a jury agreed that there was no scientific evidence to prove a direct connection between Accutane and mental disorders. LaRoche’s victory with the first Accutane lawsuit has not stopped other actions from being filed.

Claims against La Roche maintain the company ignored existing information to warn of depression and suicidal side effects. It was only after an FDA requirement that warnings were put on the label. As a result of the FDA black box warning, courts are not holding Roche Pharmaceuticals accountable for birth defects caused by the product.

Other lawsuits against La Roche for deaths and attempted suicides include:
- A 15-year old boy crashed a small plane into a Tampa skyscraper. He had been taking Accutane for eight months.
- A 14-year old boy was killed when he stood in front of an oncoming train. He had been taking Accutane for six months.
- The family of a 22-year-old Virginia man filed a lawsuit after he committed suicide two years after stopping the treatment.
- The family of a 21-year-old woman filed a law suit against LaRoche Group after she attempted suicide while taking Accutane.

Accutane and Bowel Disease

Another common side effect with a list of legal complaints is associated with long-term bowel disease, and a possible link to colon cancer. Some of the more serious cases have resulted in LaRoche paying out millions in damages both in individual lawsuits or class action suits. In a 2007 case, courts ordered LaRoche Group to pay $7 million to a patient who had his diseased colon removed. Roche appealed this judgment, which was upheld in early 2008.

Accutane IBD Settlements

Other awards were ordered by the courts in cases claiming IBD due to Accutane in 2008. A New Jersey court ordered $12.9 million to three Accutane users. Another $21 million dollars went to three individual lawsuits in New Jersey and Florida. That year, in a different case, a Florida man received $10 million, and in a similar case a woman who had part of her intestines removed won a $10 million suit against LaRoche. Juries in each case agreed that LaRoche had not revealed the possible side effects to physicians that were prescribing the drug.

Manufacturer Appeals

More cases are pending for IBD and possible suicides, and may take one to two years, or longer for decisions to be handed down. LaRoche plans to appeal all judgments for injury caused by IBD. The company still claims that the link between inflammatory bowel disease and Accutane has not been proven. In addition the LaRoche Group claims that they had a warning for the condition on the label for over twenty years.

LaRoche also plans to appeal depression and suicide cases claiming that warnings of Accutane linked to depression have been on the product label since 1985. However lawsuits argue that warnings did not appear until 16 years after the drug was on the market. Petitioners or their family that claim Accutane was taken before LaRoche warned of the serious risks are commonly successful in court rulings.