Accutane News

Accutane trial continues with discovery, trial had been set for Oct. 19

- Madison County Record

10/21/2009 - What would have been Madison County's first trial involving acne medicine Accutane has been put off again as discovery in the case continues.

Plaintiff Jason Peipert filed notice of another deposition Oct. 13 as the defendants in the case have attempted to bar an unpublished study by the University of North Carolina.

Dr. Daniel Goran filed Oct. 9 to join his fellow defendants, Hoffman La Roche Inc. and Roche Laboratories, in opposing the inclusion of the study at trial.

Peipert deposed Dr. Paul Waymack in Washington D.C. on Oct. 6.

The trial had been set to open before Circuit Judge David Hylla Monday.

Peipert is suing Goran and the drug makers on negligence claims. He alleges that the drug, prescribed by Goran in 1999, caused him to develop bowel disease.

Accutane was taken off the U.S. market in June. The company indicated the decision was made "for business reasons during a reevaluation of our product portfolio of medicines that are now available from generic manufacturers, and is not being taken for reasons of safety or efficacy."

When the case was originally set for trial in 2007, it would have been the first Accutane suit to go to trial in the nation.

Peipert claims Goran negligently prescribed the drug because it is difficult to manage in patients.

Roche and fellow defendant Hoffman LaRoche Inc. are represented by John Galvin of St. Louis.

The case is Madison case number 03-L-2040.