Acne drug ‘Roaccutane’ being sold illegally in UK
BBC programme ‘Inside Out’ has revealed that the drug Roaccutane is being sold illegally in the UK. Roaccutane is used for severe cases of acne and can only be prescribed by a consultant dermatologist. It works by supressing the sebaceous glands in the skin, which in turn reduces how much oil the glands produce. Roaccutane can also make your skin very sensitive and more easily affected by UV light, it can also harm a baby if taken during pregnancy and studies suggest that it may have a link with to serious side effects such as depression and increased suicidal thoughts. Therefore it should under no circumstances be available to buy online without an approved prescription.
On the BBC show the reporter traced illegal online sales of Roaccutane in the UK, which was then linked to a Turkish company with a registered company in Coventry, West Midlands. Since this information was revealed, the company are now taking measures to remove Roaccutane from its UK website. Although the distributed drug was confirmed to be genuine, Roche, the manufacturer, recommended patients to always use a reliable source and to see guidance from the MHRA, if unsure.
Roaccutane is not suitable for everyone and some people should never use it. Other people should only use it with special care. It is important that the person prescribing this medicine knows your full medical history.
Your prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all. Lydia Scammell, senior enforcement advisor at the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory (MHRA) agency told the BBC, “There are strict regulatory controls of medicines land the supplies of medicine and a medicine like Roaccutane not only needs a prescription, it needs a prescription by a consultant dermatologist.” She added, “Any supply of that medicine without a prescription is a criminal offence in the UK”.
Acne is a common skin condition that affects most people at some point. Not all cases are severe enough to be prescribed Roaccutane. Even the famous pop star Katy Perry has suffered from acne in the past.
More commonly, people are prescribed Doxycycline which is an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections. Once a patient’s acne is not active there are various treatments available to help with their skins rejuvenation and scarring. Here at the London Medical and Aesthetic clinic we provide various treatments such as Obagi Nu Derm which is best for superficial scarring and pigmentation problems. As for deep tissue scarring there is the option of Sculptra subcision to help smooth the appearance of deep acne scars. Co2 laser is an alternative treatment used to rejuvenate and resurface the skin.
Acne – Obagi
Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi from The London Medical & Aesthtic Clinic
To find out more about alternative treatments for acne scarring at the London Medical and Aesthetic clinic click here.
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