Acne drug faces new safety measures after teen dies

15-year-old Annabelle Wright committed suicide in May 2019, just six months after being prescribed acne medication

Health officials have recommended new safety precautions when using the acne drug.

Some people have committed suicide while taking the drug isotretinoin, while others have reported depression, anxiety, and psychotic symptoms.< /p>< p>Instances of sexual dysfunction have also been reported by patients who were prescribed the medication, and in some cases symptoms persisted after the patients stopped taking it.

A new review of a treatment known as Roaccutane concludes that the benefits of a drug prescribed to treat severe acne still outweigh the risks, but more needs to be done to improve safety.

Teenage Annabelle Wright committed suicide just six months after being prescribed acne medication.

Annabelle, 15, was found in the bedroom of her home near Ripon, North Yorkshire, in May 2019.

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Last year, Jonathan Leach, assistant coroner for North Yorkshire, ruled out a direct link between Annabelle's death and isotretinoin, but her parents insisted their daughter died «without warning and without any extenuating circumstances other than the fact that she was taking the drug. which can cause suicide.»

Gaps in available evidence

A review by the Human Medicines Commission said the drug, also known by the brand names Rizuderm and Reticutan, was effective in treating severe acne that did not respond to conventional treatments. .

A panel of experts said that due to gaps in the available evidence, it is impossible to say whether isotretinoin actually caused many of the short-term or long-term mental and sexual side effects reported by patients.

Officials made several recommendations. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will work to improve the safety associated with the drug.

These include stricter control of the prescribing of the drug to people under 18 years of age, providing more information about the risks. patients and their families, and better manage their mental and sexual health.

“Major impact on mental well-being”

Dr. Alison Cave, chief safety officer at the MHRA, said: «Uncontrolled and severe acne can have a significant impact on a patient's mental well-being and lead to permanent scarring.»

«For these individuals, isotretinoin may be the only effective treatment option .

“No drug is completely risk-free, and the conclusion of the independent Human Medicines Commission is that, overall, the benefits of isotretinoin in severe acne continue to outweigh the risks. .

“But steps need to be taken to ensure that patients are better aware of them, that they are closely monitored throughout treatment, and for patients under the age of 18, additional verification of isotretinoin prescription is carried out.”

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«We are grateful for the continued involvement of patients, their families and other stakeholders, whose experiences and stories have been vital in informing this patient-focused peer review and developing its recommendations.

» We are now working on their implementation on the recommendation of the Implementation Advisory Group.