Acne News Update

Roche discontinues sales of acne drug Accutane

Jun 26, 2009

NEW YORK (AP) — Roche said Friday it will stop selling the acne drug Accutane as sales of the treatment continue falling amid competition from less expensive generic versions.Generic versions of the acne treatment have been on the market since 2002 and Roche's branded product's market share has since slipped to less than 5 percent.The decision was made for economic reasons, not safety reasons, the company said. The drug has a rocky safety history, having been linked to birth defects if taken during pregnancy, along with depression and suicidal thoughts. The company said costs for personal-injury lawsuits are high, but it continues to "rigorously" defend the drug.