Acne Drug is Linked To Depression

A well-known treatment for severe acne produced depressive behaviour in mice when it was given to them as part of a scientific study, according to research published yesterday. Roaccutane, which has already been linked to claims it causes depression and suicide in patients, left the animals immobile for longer periods than normal during stress tests.

Scientists said further research was needed to establish whether the drug produced the same reaction in humans.
In 1997 Seumas Todd, the 20-year-old son of veteran actor Richard Todd, killed himself with a shotgun after taking Roaccutane. His father believes the drug was a factor in his death.

Dr Vera Bailey from Bath University, who worked on the study with scientist Dr Michelle Lane from the University of Texas, said: “Without more research, it is difficult to say for sure if the same link applies to people taking the drug.

“However, establishing a link between the active molecules within the drug and the change in depression-related behaviour, albeit in mice, is an important step forward in our understanding of the effects of this drug in the wider context of brain function.”

Roaccutane is given to adolescents and sometimes adults suffering from severe red acne nodules and can be given for up to six months, after which the skin complaint usually clears up, but further courses may be needed. Roaccutane belongs to the group of medicines called retinoids, which are vitamin A-related compounds known to affect development of the nervous system.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium, which was set up to provide advice to NHS boards and their area drug and therapeutics committees across Scotland, said it had not discussed Roaccutane because it was introduced in 1982, before the consortium was set up.

A spokesman said: “The Scottish Medicines Consortium looks at drugs that have been licensed since the organisation was formed in January 2002. We do not look at safety issues surrounding drugs, rather we look at the clinical and cost-effectiveness of individual drugs and, based upon this analysis, we make recommendations to the NHS in Scotland. Roaccutane has not gone through our process.”

Scientists looking at Roaccutane conducted two behaviour tests on adolescent mice which were given the acne treatment for six weeks in doses similar to those received by humans, according to the study paper published in the September issue of the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

In the first test the mice were made to swim for a number of minutes and in the other test they were suspended from their tails. In both tests the rodents tried to escape from their situation and in normal conditions would have periods where they were immobile. The scientists found the mice had longer periods than expected where they were inactive, suggesting Roaccutane made them depressed.

In a statement the pharmaceutical company Roche, which produces Roaccutane, said: “While no causal link has been established between Roaccutane and either depression or suicide, we are constantly monitoring all available safety databases on Roaccutane worldwide.”

“Unfortunately, severe acne can cause some sufferers to become depressed. This is why the information provided with Roaccutane carries a warning that some patients may experience mood changes, including an increase in depression.”