Dr. Joshua Zeichner: "The Jury Still Out on Accutane"
A number of studies indicate that isotretinoin (brand name Accutane, Amnesteem, Claravis and Sotret) is linked to a number of inflammatory bowel diseases such as colitis and Crohn's disease.
Even the Mayo Clinic suggests a possible link, but other studies say otherwise. For instance, a recent study published in JAMA Dermatology (February 2013), involving more than 45,000 women, found no such link between Accutane (isotretinoin) use and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Joshua Zeichner, MD, Assistant Professor of Dermatology and Director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research in Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said that this is the third study published evaluating the association between isotretinoin and inflammatory disease; the two previous studies showed conflicting results. Learn more