Pair of London Law Firms Launch Lawsuit Against Acne Drug Maker

2/5/2013

TwoLondon legal teams have launched a lawsuit against the maker of a popular acne medication.

Legate& Associates and Harrison Pensa will represent a Toronto woman in her legal battle over the devastating side effects the drug 'Accutane' has had on her life.

A Toronto woman is seeking well over $5 million dollars in damages that she claims is directly linked to her use of the acne medication.

Jennifer Twamley was 17 years old when she was prescribed the popular drug to help her complexion.

She says it was after her six month stint with the drug that she began to battle inflammatory bowel disease. "Within about a year or so of taking the drug, I started experiencing some bowel symptoms. In 1999, I was diagnosed with Colitis, and so that lead to much more significant symptoms of blood in diarrhea and bathroom frequency, urgency, that sort of thing."

Twamley believes the drug maker Hoffmann-La Roche is solely responsible for her current condition. "At the time, we were not informed at all about the implications of this drug in causing inflammatory bowel disease, and if I had known at 17 when I was looking to treat bad acne that it would result in long term loss of income, social isolation, overall impact on my life, I would not have taken the drug."

Twamley has undergone two surgeries, including removal of her colon.

She adds, "It's certainly affected my income earning potential. It affects the amount of time my partner has to put into care giving, the amount of time my parents have to put into care giving. There are very concrete financial repercussions of having to deal with the chronic illness, not to mention the number of out of pocket expenses and the cost on the health care system."

Twamley's attorney, Barb Legate, tells AM 980 the onus lies squarely on the drug maker, Hoffmann-La Roche. "They knew these side effects were there, and they did not warn these vulnerable teenagers who were just looking for that help with their acne."

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Pair of London Law Firms Launch Lawsuit Against Acne Drug Maker