JURY AWARDS $7 MILLION IN FLORIDA ACCUTANE CASE

October 12, 2007  PENSACOLA, Fla.  After two days of deliberating, the jury on Thursday found Accutane maker Hoffman-La Roche Inc. responsible for failing to warn Adam Mason, 31, that he could develop inflammatory bowel disease.  The jury awarded $7 million to Mason who had most of his colon removed after suffering from a disease apparently caused by the acne medication Accutane.  Hoffman-La Roche Inc., based in Nutley, N.J., is the U.S. prescription drug unit of the Swiss drug maker Roche Group.

Mason began taking the drug in 1991 and soon after developed symptoms, said his attorney, Michael Hook. Mason has had three-quarters of his colon removed and will soon undergo surgery to remove the entire organ. “His disease is very active,” he said, adding that the former welder has not been able to return to work.

The lawsuit was filed in 2001.

In May, a jury in New Jersey awarded a man $2.6 million in a similar case.

A brief, plain-type warning states Accutane has been associated with inflammatory bowel disease. ASSOCIATED PRESS