Woman’s rail death ‘after acne drug gave her depression’

Effects: a counsellor said Angela Lee was at risk of suicide a month after she started taking Roaccutane
12 April 2012

The death of a woman who had been taking an anti-acne drug linked to suicide will be investigated at an inquest today.

Angela Lee, 28, stepped in front of a train at Seven Kings station, Ilford on 4 October last year.

She had been prescribed the drug Roaccutane for severe acne and experienced depression after taking it, lawyers representing her family said.

A jury at the inquest at Walthamstow coroner's court will hear evidence about her death. The medication is seen as one of the best treatments for severe acne and is said to be almost 90 per cent effective at clearing it.

However, 29 people in the UK taking Roaccutane are reported to have killed themselves since it was licensed in 1963. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has also
recorded 22 suicide attempts and 39 patients considering suicide among those taking Roaccutane.

Roche, its manufacturer, has always rejected claims that it causes mental health problems, saying severe acne can lower self-esteem and cause depression.

Ms Lee, who was living in Ilford with her parents and brother at the time of her death, had suffered from ME, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, since 1994.

She was prescribed Roaccutane in April last year and remained on the drug for three months.

Law firm Kingsley Napley, which is representing Ms Lee's family, said she suffered from many adverse effects, including increased depression during and after the acne treatment.

It said: "In May 2008, Angela's ME counsellor believed her to be at risk of suicide. She recommended that Angela be referred to the community mental health team for assessment. Unfortunately, no referral was made."

Ross Brain, one of the solicitors representing the family, said: "While a link between Roaccutane and psychiatric changes has not been proven in medical studies, there is clear anecdotal evidence of some users of this drug
experiencing acute depression, psychosis and/or suicidal tendencies."

Roche said: "It would be inappropriate to comment until the findings of the inquest become public."

Successful cure but doubts remain

Roaccutane, which has the generic name Isotretinoin, can only be prescribed by a dermatologist. A four-month course clears most acne.

It works by decreasing the size of the sebaceous glands in the skin, which reduces the amount of sebum, a natural oil, that is produced. This stops glands blocking and also reduces skin inflammation.

Some people report huge improvements on online support groups. One wrote: "I've felt more confident in myself and haven't felt the need to wear heavy make-up."

But others warn of its mental health effects. David Roberts, 20, from Liverpool, was found hanged in 2005 three months after he began taking Roaccutane. His father Fred told an inquest his son had been a "happy-go-lucky lad''.

Andrew Rebell, the coroner, recorded a narrative verdict, saying there was not enough evidence to link the death to Roaccutane.

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