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!
Searches that led to this article: accutane birth defects pictures, baby on accutane warning photo,
At this point I am ready to offer them my womb as collateral if they would just give me my friggin 6 month supply!!!
I think some entity is trying to make it so difficult to obtain accutane that consumers and manufacturers finally give up. I’ve been on accutane 4 times over a period of 25 years and believe it is a miracle drug. I’m a college educated, married, mother and am really insulted at the hoops I’m being forced to go through to access a drug that works for me. Totally insane.
If people weren’t such selfish freakin’ idiots, we wouldn’t have to jump through these hoops. But look around you. How many pregnant women do you see drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes? I see this all the time. How many teenagers do you know that have become pregnant? They also have acne and could be on Accutane. They’re also idiots. Have you seen any daytime television or reality shows lately? There are morons everywhere. We’re surrounded.
Responsible people who would NEVER dream of getting pregnant (either purposefully or accidentally) have to jump through hoops because of the moron contingent who can’t be trusted to use birth control. But it’s better that we have to jump through hoops that babies are born with hideous abnormalities just because their mother was a moron.
Julie
All the warnings are there for the manufacturers to cover their own butts!
After looking at pictures of babies who suffered birth defects from accutane I am scared to ever have sex ever! It is VERY sad. I am doing abstaining from sex while on accutane (I am still a virgin anyway), but there is always that temptation to want to have sex. I can tell you now I am DEFINITELY not going to be having sex while on accutane. I can totally see why they have this program in place now. At first I did not and thought it was such a pain. Now, I completely understand.
i think that they are doing the right thing by making us jump through these hoops in order to obtain a medication that can effect how a baby forms…if they didn’t make us do all of this to get accutane then a lot more children with birth defects related to accutane would begin showing up all the time because it has been proven that 90 percent of the time pregnancy isn’t planned at all… it is a total accident.
My former husband was on Accutane for severe acne. He forewarned me that it will cause child defects should I get pregnant. We made it a top priority that I didn’t get pregnant because he wanted the acne to go away. We were extremely very careful and we did not have any problems with it. It is all common sense..sometimes you need to abstain from things that would make you pregnant.