Acne Treatment, not Acne, Triggers Suicide?

Is that big zit on your nose making you want to die? No, like, really? Because it might be your medicine, and not the fact that when it heals you’re going to look like Tommy Lee Jones.

“An acne treatment blamed for triggering suicides in severely affected young people has been shown to cause depressive behaviour in animal tests, say researchers.The finding lends support to claims that the drug, not the acne, may have led to the affected individuals taking their own lives.”

The drug company, however, blames the acne:

Roche, the manufacturer, said there was no proven link between Roaccutane [Accutane] and suicide but the company was “constantly monitoring all available safety databases on Roaccutane worldwide”.The drug had “revolutionised the management of acne and helped improve the well-being of many patients by clearing the acne and preventing any new scarring”, it said.”Unfortunately, severe acne can cause some sufferers to become depressed and can also affect their mood and self-esteem.”

Well, that settles that. It’s you and your acne, you pizza-faced loser. They’re only trying to help.

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