Accutane Causes Birth Defects - and We Really Mean It

Anyone who has looked into taking the anti-acne drug Accutane (Sotret Isotretinoin) knows that it causes birth defects. You can’t help but know that it causes birth defects, because if you are a female, you have to sign up on a registry because it causes birth defects, get counseling so that you know that it causes birth defects, prove that you are not pregnant - because it causes birth defects, and prove that you are on birth control (because, you know, it causes birth defects), before you are allowed to have even one capsule. Even then, you are only allowed a month at a time, and have to go back and check in with your doctor so that they can make sure that you still remember that it causes birth defects and have not gotten pregnant - because it causes birth defects.

Clearly, you cannot get a prescription for Accutane unless you understand that it causes birth defects.

But just to be sure - to make really really sure - that you understand that, you know - it causes birth defects, they also put a warning on the package once you get your prescription filled. Ok, that makes sense.

But in case you are a complete moron - in case you - you know - somehow forget that it causes birth defects between your indoctrination and the time your first month runs out and you have to go back to the doctor to get your next month ’s dose of counseling about how Accutane causes birth defects before you can get your next month’s prescription - just in case, just to make really REALLY sure you know that Accutane causes birth defects, they also put a picture for you over each capsule:

But wait, there’s more. Just in case you’re such a complete moron that even that might not remind you that Accutane causes birth defects, just to make really REALLY REALLY sure that you remember that Accutane causes birth defects - well, this is the first warning label that I’ve ever seen that comes with a diagram:

Imagine if other warning labels came with diagrams!