Accutane

Touted as a miracle drug for people with severe acne, Accutane was recalled by its manufacturer, Roche Pharmaceuticals, in 2009. The company maintained that this recall was not due to Accutane’s serious side effects, but rather due to increased competition from generic manufacturers. Despite the company’s claims, this recall came after public outcry over Accutane’s side effects, which include:

1. Crohn’s Disease
2. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
3. Ulcerative colitis
4. Birth defects
5. Rectal bleeding
6. Central nervous system damages
7. Lupus
8. Hearing and vision disorders
9. Suicide and extreme emotional changes

Several lawsuits followed the recall, which resulted in the company paying out over $33 million in IBD cases alone. Some class action lawsuits against the company are still pending.

The McAllen defective medication attorneys at Guerra & Moore can help victims of Accutane’s side effects get the compensation they need. Medical expenses related to these side effects, as well as a negatively impacted quality of life, should not be your burden to bear. We will work tirelessly to help you and your family recover from all of your financial, physical, and emotional losses.

The Accutane Recall

Accutane came onto the market in 1982. Between 1982 and 2009, nearly 13 million people took Accutane. Initially developed as a chemotherapy drug, it was soon discovered that Accutane was able to visibly reduce moderate to severe acne. After this discovery, Roche Pharmaceuticals began an aggressive marketing campaign to promote Accutane as an acne medication. The campaign was successful, and Accutane became the nation’s top acne medication for a number of years.

Indications of Accutane’s serious side effects became apparent shortly after the drug grew in popularity. It wasn’t until June 26, 2009, however, that the company finally recalled the product. During the 27 years the product was on the market, hundreds of thousands of people were negatively impacted by the drug. Though the company was aware of these side effects, its drive for profit was greater than the desire to protect consumers. In fact, it wasn’t until Accutane’s market share dropped below 5 percent that the company decided to pull it from the market.

This obvious and gross negligence has been financially damaging to Roche Pharmaceuticals. Recent settlements include $12.9 million awarded to three New Jersey men for their pain and suffering. The attorneys at Guerra & Moore have an extensive knowledge of the history of this medication and a strong desire to help those in our community who have been impacted by Roche Pharmaceuticals’ greed and negligence.

If you or a loved one anywhere in the Rio Grande Valley has suffered from adverse side effects from Accutane, please contact the McAllen, Texas attorneys at Guerra Moore Attorneys at Law to schedule your initial consultation today.