Accutane and Crohn’s Disease

You may have heard in the news in the recent past that the drug Accutane has been recalled. This drug was originally prescribed by health care professionals for the treatment of moderate to severe cystic acne. Unfortunately, it has been found that this drug causes a myriad of side effects, some arising years after its initial use.

One of the side effects users have experienced is the occurrence of Crohn’s disease, which also referred to as inflammatory bowel disease. This disorder was originally documented in 1932 by Doctor Burill Crohn, Dr. Leon Ginzburg and Dr. Gordon D. Oppenheimer. It is said that Crohn’s disease is so closely related to ulcerative colitis that it is often difficult to distinguish between them. This debilitation condition is due to chronic inflammation of the digestive tract, often occurring in the lower part of the small intestine. The disease itself is thought to be due to an abnormal immune response. White blood cells permeate the intestinal lining, which causes the chronic inflammation. These cells release toxins that destroy the surrounding tissue. This disorder can cause a range of symptoms from bowel problems (diarrhea) cramping, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, joint pain and fatigue.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease occurs when inflammation and infection repeatedly occur in the digestive tract. Typically, IBD is comprised of one of two diseases: Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis.

Crohn’s Disease can affect any area along the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus, however it usually affects the lower intestine. With this disease, the inflammation may go deep within the tissue of the intestine. In time, the inflammation and resulting scar tissue can cause narrowing of the intestine, leading to bowel obstruction.

Ulcerative colitis is more narrowly located in the large intestine (colon) and the rectum. Ulcers, or sores, form at the site of the infection. In both illnesses, inflammations flare up, causing pain and diarrhea. Rectal bleeding from infection can lead to weight loss, anemia and, in children, delayed development.

In time, 20 – 40% of patients with Crohn’s Disease or ulcerative colitis will require the removal of all or part of the intestine due to massive bleeding, rupture of the colon or other related illness.

If you have taken Accutane and are experiencing these types of medical problems, it is important that you contact an Accutane Lawyer at your first opportunity. Numerous class action type lawsuits have been successfully brought against La-Roche Pharmaceutical. Most recently, in March 2010 a jury in New Jersey awarded a previous Accutane user with inflammatory bowel disease $25 million. There have many successful lawsuits in addition to this totaling over millions dollars. If you have been contemplating joining a Class Action lawsuit for your injury due to taking Accutane, call the Accutane Side Effects Lawsuit Settlement Center at your earliest convenience. An experienced Accutane lawyer can explain to you that these cases are handled as mass torts handled as multi-district litigation. What this means is that while each case is filed separately, a single judge will handle common aspects of the cases together.