What are the benefits and costs of using accutane?

Why is accutane so carefully controlled?

It’s a fact that, in adults, five times more women than men are affected by acne. Under normal circumstances, this difference in the gender balance would make no difference. But accutane is different. There is unambiguous evidence that the use of accutane during pregnancy produces babies with deformities. Thus, no young or adult woman capable of conceiving should use accutane unless there are confirmed steps taken to ensure a pregnancy is impossible.

Why should accutane be used at all?

Accutane is a highly effective treatment for acne and, in the majority of cases, it produces clear skin at the first use. In some cases, there is a need for a second round of treatment to ensure a cure. Unlike the other drugs and topical creams on the market, accutane succeeds where the others fail. The drug is safe for use by men. A balancing of benefits and costs must therefore be made when women of child-bearing age ask for the treatment. In many cases, the women are being victimized by their peers and some adults. Their distress is very real and the risk of psychological damage increases with delay. But if there is any chance of a pregnancy, the drug must be withheld. Unfortunately, some women object to the practice of contraception. They offer a promise of abstinence. The evidence has been clear that such promises are worth little.

What is iPLEDGE?

To gain access to accutane, all women in the US must register under the iPLEDGE program. This requires you to use two different forms of birth control for a period of not less than 30 days before you start taking accutane and continuing for a further period of 30 days after reaching the end of the prescribed period for taking accutane. You will be tested to ensure compliance before being given the accutane. Obviously, if you buy accutane from an online pharmacy based outside the US, you can avoid the iPLEDGE program. But the fact the the FDA consider this necessary should warn you of the seriousness of the risk you run should you refuse contraceptive protection.