04/21/2006 - National Legal News

Health Canada is reportedly to start probing the cause of heart attacks and strokes that have occurred over the last two decades in patients taking Accutane, a potent and controversial acne drug.

After receiving 29 reports of stroke and heart disease among Accutane patients, Canadian health authorities plan on studying the acne drug’s involvement. The concern stems from the fact that some of most frequently reported adverse affects are not mentioned in the drug’s labeling information.

Although there is no well-studied connection between the drug and heart problems, Health Canada feels that the link should be further evaluated. Some experts feel that the affected patients were already at risk for stroke due to conditions such as obesity or high blood pressure.

This is not the first time that Accutane’s safety has been called into question.

Accutane has recently been the source of much discussion and debate in the United States. The American government recently implemented a national registry for patients using the drug, which tracks patients with prescriptions and forces them to take regular pregnancy tests. The registry is intended to prevent accidental pregnancies that could result in devastating birth defects.

If you are currently taking Accutane, talk to your doctor to discuss the relative risks and benefits of the drug.