The
Hardison & Associates, LLP Greensboro Accutane Lawyers website
provides information on the drug, its dangers and your
rights if you or a loved one has suffered injury due to the
use of Accutane.
Our attorneys have specialized in Personal Injury law, and
we have been bringing quality legal services to clients
throughout North Carolina for over twenty years. The firm
has successfully represented clients in medical malpractice,
catastrophic injuries, psychological damage cases, and
product liability claims against the negligent manufacturers
of unsafe drugs. Kenneth L. Hardison and Associates
founded the firm with a commitment to making justice work
for their clients. If you have been a victim of the severe
and devastating effects of Accutane, our team can help make
the justice system protect your rights and ensure that you
receive the compensation to which you may be entitled.
Accutane (Isotretinoin) is synthetic derivative of vitamin A
that is prescribed to treat severe, disfiguring cystic acne.
This form of acne is painful, disfiguring and does not
respond to other treatments including antibiotics. Accutane
treatment entails a course of oral medication taken for
several months and acts by shrinking the oil glands within
the skin to diminish their oil production. While very
effective, Accutane has also been found to carry significant
risk including; birth defects and fetal death; psychiatric
side effects including suicide; damage to the liver,
kidneys, pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, central nervous
system, cardiovascular system, and autoimmune system. Some
research indicates an increased risk of colon cancer
associated with Accutane use.
Accutane has been controversial since the mid 1980’s when it
was linked to severe birth defects. According to the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA), Accutane is one of the top
three drugs with the most reported site effects in their
database. Even before Accutane received FDA approval,
testing indicated the drug could cause fetal anomalies in
animals. This research led the drug’s manufacturer, Roche
Dermatologics (a division of Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc.), to
warn pregnant women of its risks and instituted a program
designed to prevent pregnancies during the course Accutane
treatment. Some other milestones in Accutane’s history
include:
- Mid to late 1980’s,
Accutane gains notoriety for its association with severe
birth defects.
- 1992 – Accutane gains
approval from the FDA.
- In the ‘90s, there are
widespread reports of the drug’s negative effects
unrelated to pregnancy.
- In 1998, the FDA advises
physicians to monitor those under Accutane treatment for
signs of depression.
- Hoffman-LaRoche notifies
physicians that the drug “may cause depression, psychosis,
and rarely, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts and
suicide.”
- USA Today announces
that the FDA has received reports of over 1300 cases of
psychiatric problems and 66 cases of suicide related to
the use of Accutane as of December of 2000.
- October 2001, the FDA
announces a risk management program to prevent birth
defects caused by Accutane. New warning labels and consent
forms are required for the use of Accutane.
- An updated, more
comprehensive version of the Accutane Medication Guide is
distributed to pharmacists in September of 2002.
If you have taken Accutane
and suffered psychological damage, ill health, complications
during pregnancy, or had a child born with a birth defect,
you may be entitled to recover damages from the drug’s
manufacturer. If someone you love has died or committed
suicide because of their use of this powerful drug, you may
be eligible to file a wrongful death suit. Whether you are
considering a personal injury lawsuit or a wrongful death
claim, it is important to have the guidance and resources of
a legal team who specializes in personal injury, product
liability and wrongful death claims. Hardison and Associates is
that team, and we can improve your chances of recovering
damages form negligent drug manufacturers through strong
medical evidence, decades of experience in the North
Carolina court system, demonstrated negotiation skills to
ensure the most fair settlement, and aggressive litigation
when appropriate. Please call Hardison & Associates, “the
people’s law firm”, at 800-973-0510 or
contact us via e-mail. |
