More babies will be aborted if the controversial acne drug Roaccutane is made available through the family doctor, specialists warn. Dermatologists says a move by health authorities to allow GPs to prescribe the heavy-duty medication will push up prescription rates and endanger patients. And there was a risk that patients would not be informed of the dangers of birth abnormalities among babies born to women taking Roaccutane, forcing them to require an abortion, said Dr Stephen Shumack, secretary of the Australasian College of Dermatologists. Roaccutane is taken by thousands of Australians for the treatment of severe, persistent acne, but it has made headlines in recent years for its unproven links with depression and suicide. More than 140,000 prescriptions were written for Roaccutane in the past financial year but prescribing is limited to the nation’s 400 dermatologists and specialist physicians. Roaccutane manufacturer Roche, and several firms that sell the drug generically, have denied making the request. read more
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