Acne Patients Get Short Shrift From Government

Last March the federal government implemented what is known as the i-Pledge program for acne patients needing the drug Acutane. The premise is that this drug is so dangerous that only federal beurocrats and not doctors can monitor use of the drug. The concern is for fetal malformations in patients becoming pregnant while taking Acutane. I treated more than 1000 young patients during the 1990's with this drug and never had a single pregnancy occur. Nevertheless, this is an important concern and one left best to the management of physicians. Interestingly this was not an issue of government concern until a United States Senator lost a child to suicide after taking Acutane. The Senator blames the drug Acutane, ignoring familial, social, and genetic causes for his son's untimely demise. Somehow this reminds me of throwing the baby out with the bath water. Acutane has saved thousands of people with disabling and scarring acne from a life of shame and untold costs in trying to remedy their scars. It is a life saving drug when one considers quality of life and mental health important. Attorneys in general and beurocrats specifically are not competent nor qualified to monitor drugs. The program is onerous and inhibitory. Physicans are trained to monitor the use of dangerous drugs. If we find an incompetent physician do not punish patients. Get rid of the physician's license. And while we are at it, let's get rid of incompentent government beaurocrats. Oh, Oh. That can't happen. There would be virtually no one left to run the government.