The MHRA will hold a Zoom meeting beginning at 9:30am GMT this coming Wednesday where recommendations resulting from a safety review of the Accutane/Isotretinoin will be discussed.
The deadline to register is 10am GMT Monday.
Psychiatric and sexual side effects are the topic of discussion. Participating would be a good way to help make sure they don’t cast sexual side effects as psychiatric without evidence.
Please share the outcome after the meeting, i won’t be able to attend. Thanks in advance for sharing that.
I’ve got an invite and the dial in details so will do my best to attend but have an appointment shortly in so will be driving but will hopefully get some if not all of it. I hope anyone else who can will also be dialling in .
I have been sent a link to ask questions. Anyone got anything (especially those who took accutane) they’d like raising. Obviously it has to be something positive, of substance and helpful. I have some myself. The session is tomorrow so be quick.
I was on for the majority of the call.Key points I picked up on:-
It remains favourable to continue to prescribe this with further measures which include closer monitoring pre and during treatment
The potential for developing sexual and physciatric issues were repeatedly mentioned. Nothing wider
The importance of utilising the yellow card scheme to record symptoms was re iterated
Precribing Drs to capture and record any and all developing symptoms which will guide future actions.
Only 4 participant questions were taken. 1 was related to the premature global ageing which was not answered and the chair advised this will be covered in the substantial report that will be made available mid May.
For me and most (im sure) the failure to provide after care solutions in terms of something effective to treat the host of symptoms is an abject failure.
One question eluded to this but it recieved the potilitical response eg monitoring and counselling which is not an effective treatment.
My view,
Better than nothing, but far short of what is needed.
Spin doctors at their best, could sense the lack of compassion, cold and corporate.
Looking across this family of drugs, recognising the striking similarities and then taking action to find a treatment is the way forward. It would also be worthwhile to see what medication has been prescribed to all recorded suicides of under 40s. This would be very telling.
Talking to the converted
Thank you much for observing the meeting. I was in the middle of moving and didn’t have internet access at the time.
Literature more comprehensively explaining the outcome is available on the MHRA website:
Importantly, the potential for persistent sexual side effects has been recognized. It’s not a game-changer, but it’s progress nonetheless.
There should be more consistent monitoring of a patient’s psychiatric and sexual health so that any problems are spotted earlier and there are defined routes for patients to receive help.
Not to be pessimistic but sounds to me like they’ll just prescribe SSRI and cialis. As far as I know there’s no “help” to be had once you’re hit.
They did however mention more studies, which would be great.
Prof. Uwe Gieler, vitos clinic for psychosomatic Giessen, Hessen Germany, main focus on psycho dermatology:
Suicidal risk with isotretinoin treatment – a never-ending story, 2020
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jdv.16489
Thank you @LazarusRy, @Dubya_B, @CollateralDamage and @Cbrandel for your fight for the inocent children treated with the well known dangerous acne drug Accutane developed from the swiss roche family company.
