New Mental Health Fear Over Popular Acne Drug

Fears have been raised that a popular treatment for severe acne could cause depression in patients. New research shows the drug Roaccutane produces depressive behaviour in mice when given to the rodents. Roaccutane – already linked to claims it caused depression and suicide in patients – left the mice immobile for longer periods than normal during stress tests. But scientists said more research was needed to establish whether the drug produced the same reaction in humans.

Seumas Todd, 20-year-old son of veteran actor Richard Todd, killed himself with a shotgun after taking Roaccutane in 1997. His father, who starred in the classic film The Dam Busters, believes the drug was a factor in his son’s death.

Dr Sarah Bailey, of Bath University, who worked on the study, said: “Without more research, it is difficult to say for sure whether the same link applies to people taking the drug.”

Isotretinoin, marketed as Roaccutane in the UK, is given to adolescents and sometimes adults suffering from severe acne. It can be given for up to six months, after which the skin complaint usually clears up.

The scientists conducted two behaviour tests on adolescent mice which were given the acne treatment for six weeks in doses similar to those received by humans, said the study paper published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology. The scientists found the mice had longer periods than expected where they were inactive, suggesting Roaccutane made them depressed.

A spokeswoman for drug firm 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.

“Approximately 13million patients worldwide have been treated with Roaccutane since 1982. We would caution about concluding that this scientific research work on mice is indicative of the effects of isotretinoin in humans.”