Is Acne Drug Linked to Teen Suicide?

Jan. 10 -- Evidence that Florida teen Charles Bishop had a prescription for Accutane raises new questions about a potential link between the powerful acne drug and depression.

It's not known if Bishop, 15, actually used the medication prior to his fatal crash of a stolen airplane into a Tampa skyscraper. Law enforcement officials say toxicology tests, which could confirm the presence of the drug in Bishop, will not be completed for another two weeks.

Nor is it clear that use of the drug definitely can cause psychological side effects. The drug's maker, Roche Pharmaceuticals, says there is no scientific evidence linking Accutane with depression or suicide. However, Roche has listed one of the possible side effects as depression and thoughts of suicide.

In order to take the drug, a patient must sign an "informed consent" statement verifying that they are aware of these side effects. Roche maintains that the new consent forms are causing parents and doctors to pay more attention to these problems.

Mixed Views of Emotional Effects

A recent study in The New England Journal of Medicine found no association between Accutane and depression, suicide, or other psychiatric problems when compared to patients being treated with antibiotics.

Dr. Neal Korman, a dermatologist at Case Western Reserve University Hospitals, thinks Accutane may actually improve a patient's emotional outlook.

"My opinion is that if anything, Accutane for teenagers and young adults with severe disfiguring acne is much more likely to help their mental state because it makes them better and makes them less depressed and less likely to be suicidal," said Korman.

Dr. Henry Lim, the chairman of the dermatology department at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, notes that in the 18 years that he has prescribed Accutane, only one patient has become depressed. After the patient stopped using the medication, the depression went away.

But other experts and members of the U.S. government are more apprehensive about the drug.