The pharmaceutical giant Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. was the subject of a $2.6-million jury verdict yesterday regarding its acne treatment Accutane. In an Atlantic City, New Jersey court, a 10-person jury awarded the money for past medical expenses and compensatory damages to a man whose inflammatory bowel disorder was caused by Accutane, according to his lawsuit.
Accutane’s Severe Side Effects
The plaintiff’s attorney, Brian Barr, said that this trial was the first regarding Accutane’s link to inflammatory bowel disorder, a lesser known side effect of Accutane. The warning label for Accutane clearly describes its potential for producing birth defects and suicidal behavior. The labeling also states that Accutane has been associated with inflammatory bowel disease, but the Atlantic City jury did not find that this warning was adequate.
Inflammatory bowel disorder is an umbrella term referring to several poorly understood diseases that involve chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract. These diseases have symptoms that include severe diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever.
Compensation for Losses
The jury awarded Andrew McCarrell, 36, a resident of Moody, Alabama the sum of $119,000 for his past medical expenses and another $2.5 million in compensatory damages to take care of his future medical costs and his pain and suffering.
Nearly 600 other individuals are suing Hoffmann-La Roche in class actions based on inflammatory bowel disorder claims. Three more such trials are scheduled in Illinois and Florida this year.
(Source: Los Angeles Times)
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