Spring Break
Accutane drug not easy to come by
Patients must jump through hoops before receiving powerful acne drug
Natalie Saeger
Issue date: 4/21/08 Section: Money/Health
After the questionnaire and counseling session, female patients must then verify they are not pregnant or using primary and secondary forms of birth control.
"Women have to go through counseling, get pregnancy tests and if not on birth control, need to start it and then get tested again for pregnancy," Peikert said.
Because the iPLEDGE program is computer based, patient information must be entered into the system.
"I can't just write a prescription for everyone," Peikert said. "The pharmacist has to see it by computer."
Bruce Bergmann, the pharmacy manager at Marshfield Clinic Eau Claire Center's pharmacy, 2116 Craig Rd., said Accutane runs in the range of $500 per month when two capsules are taken per day. Less extreme oral prescriptions, like amoxicillin and tetracycline, run under $20 a month, he said.
Some of the minor side effects individuals may experience on Accutane, Eskritt said, include dryness of the face, allergies where breathing difficulties develop and hives, vision problems involving night vision, muscles and joint aches, increased heart rate, blood clots, back pain, a decrease in red and white blood counts and sensitivity to the sun.
While on Accutane, Peikert said sun protection is important because Accutane increases the skin's sensitivity to the sun.
Since Accutane's release, Peikert said the numbers have gone down in use, mainly because of the iPLEDGE program.
"Some doctors don't prescribe it … and more of a drop occurred when there was a discussion of depression and suicide became hot topic issues," he said.
Eskritt is among some of the dermatologists who won't prescribe the drug. He said too few of his patients request it and the iPLEDGE program is restrictive.
Luckily, many cases of acne don't require such extreme prescriptions, and there are many successful options available that work well.
"Accutane is a great drug," Peikert said. "Physicians just need to be very selective on who should take it," adding the majority of his patients who take Accutane aren't depressed, but "smiley."
"Women have to go through counseling, get pregnancy tests and if not on birth control, need to start it and then get tested again for pregnancy," Peikert said.
Because the iPLEDGE program is computer based, patient information must be entered into the system.
"I can't just write a prescription for everyone," Peikert said. "The pharmacist has to see it by computer."
Bruce Bergmann, the pharmacy manager at Marshfield Clinic Eau Claire Center's pharmacy, 2116 Craig Rd., said Accutane runs in the range of $500 per month when two capsules are taken per day. Less extreme oral prescriptions, like amoxicillin and tetracycline, run under $20 a month, he said.
Some of the minor side effects individuals may experience on Accutane, Eskritt said, include dryness of the face, allergies where breathing difficulties develop and hives, vision problems involving night vision, muscles and joint aches, increased heart rate, blood clots, back pain, a decrease in red and white blood counts and sensitivity to the sun.
While on Accutane, Peikert said sun protection is important because Accutane increases the skin's sensitivity to the sun.
Since Accutane's release, Peikert said the numbers have gone down in use, mainly because of the iPLEDGE program.
"Some doctors don't prescribe it … and more of a drop occurred when there was a discussion of depression and suicide became hot topic issues," he said.
Eskritt is among some of the dermatologists who won't prescribe the drug. He said too few of his patients request it and the iPLEDGE program is restrictive.
Luckily, many cases of acne don't require such extreme prescriptions, and there are many successful options available that work well.
"Accutane is a great drug," Peikert said. "Physicians just need to be very selective on who should take it," adding the majority of his patients who take Accutane aren't depressed, but "smiley."
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
K. Rachel
posted 5/15/08 @ 10:52 AM CST
This drug has in all honesty given me my life back. Before taking Accutane, I couldn't even bear to leave my house. I was depressed all the time because my skin was so bad, and found it difficult to do anything as I couldn't stand for people to look at me. (Continued…)
Post a Comment