Isotretinoin Updates and Insights

Sonal Choudhary, MD, a Dermatopathologist, Dermatologist, and Director of the Integrative Dermatology and Skincare Clinic, and Physician Assistant Noel Prevost discuss changes to the iPLEDGE program and share tips on how they counsel patients on isotretinoin regarding potential risks.

Key takeaways:

• The 19-day lock-out period has been removed. Now, patients who miss the 7-day window can immediately get a new pregnancy test to re-qualify for treatment.

• At-home pregnancy tests are now allowed during and after isotretinoin treatment.

• There is no causal link between isotretinoin and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). If a patient has a history of inflammatory bowel disease, get a letter from their gastroenterologist approving treatment.

• Proceed with caution when prescribing isotretinoin to patients with bipolar disorder.

• Consider getting an approval letter from the treating psychiatrist when prescribing isotretinoin for patients with other mental health conditions.