Hoffmann-La Roche’s Accutane Ends

The pharmaceutical company Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc, has issued a statement stating that they will no longer produce the acne medication, Accutane, which they had developed and brought to the U.S. market in 1982.

Accutane, otherwise known by its generic name, isotretinoin, will still be available by other drug makers, but not by HL and not under the name of Accutane. The press release issued by the pharmaceutical states that this is a business decision, due to declining profit from the drug.

When Accutane became available, it was widely used for recalcitrant acne , or acne that didn’t respond to any other treatments. The problem with Accutane, however, is that its potency makes it dangerous for certain people to take it, such as pregnant women. Doctors have also been finding an increase levels of cholesterol, liver enzymes and triglyceride, which could lead to further disease.

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Image: Hoffman-La Roche, Inc