Congressman Bart Stupak, lost his son, BJ, to suicide on Mother's Day, May 14, 2000, at the age of 17, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and BJ was on Accutane at the time of his death.
On December 11, 2002, Rep Stupak told the audience at the Safety Issues Surrounding Accutane Hearing that, "Anyone who knew BJ could not understand why a young man with such an outgoing personality and bright future would end his own life."
"BJ taking his own life," Rep Stupak said, "is contrary to everything he believed in!"
But the most disturbing find she said, was the February 1998 MedWatch stating, "The FDA is advising consumers and health care providers of new safety information regarding the prescription anti-acne drug Accutane (isotretinoin) and isolated reports of depression, psychosis, and rarely suicidal thoughts and actions."
"After we found the MedWatch," Rep Stupak said, "I wondered why the FDA put out this warning, 18 years after the drug was approved?"
"More important," he continued, "why weren't these warnings on BJ's Accutane package which had been revised 4 months after the MedWatch was issued?"
Two other couples testified at the hearing about their sons who had no history of depression, but yet committed suicide while taking Accutane. The spontaneity of the suicides became the center piece of discussion between committee members and witnesses during the hearing.
Susan and Martin Turney from Watertown, New York testified about their 16-year-old son, Matthew, who took his own life on March 14, 2001, and was on Accutane at the time of his death.
In retracing the days leading up to Matt's death, nothing indicated that anything was wrong. The night before the suicide, everything was normal his parents recalled. The family had a nice dinner together, talked about the day's events and joked and laughed with each other like always.
The next morning, Matt got up for school as usual. Before leaving to catch the bus, he looked at his father, smiled and said "Good Bye," and yelled, "Good Bye Mom. I love you," to his mother who was in another room, just like he did every morning.
By all accounts, Matt was fine at school that day. He talked to his guidance counselor about a program she had recommended for the next year. He asked a girl to a dance and she agreed to go. He took a couple of tests and did well.
On the bus ride home, Matt sat with his friends and laughed and fooled around just like any other day. He got off the bus and stopped to pick up the newspaper and mail as usual. He took off his shoes in the entryway, placed the mail and newspaper on the kitchen counter as he always did, and went into his room and hung up his coat.
His parents say it is at this point that Matt's normal routine changed. He did not turn on the TV, or get a snack or check his email as usual. Instead, he apparently went into the master bedroom, unlocked the gun case, took out a gun and shot himself.
His father came home from work and yelled "Hello" to Matt, but got no response so he went looking for him and found Matt on the floor of the bedroom with no heartbeat.
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