Doctors Move Quickly After PHARMAC Decision

Doctors Move Quickly After PHARMAC Decision

The medical profession has moved quickly to answer adolescents’ pleas for better access to advanced acne treatments following PHARMAC’s decision to widen the prescribing rights of Isotretinoin (commonly known as Roaccutane® and more recently as Isotane).

National skincare chain, the Skin Institute is one of the first organisations to come to the aid of acne suffers with the launch of their nationwide acne clinics to help address some of the equity of access issues previously identified by PHARMAC.

The speed of reaction to the PHARMAC decision has been noted by Professor Bruce Arroll, Head of General Practice at the University of Auckland Medical School.

Professor Arroll identified the significant impact and psychosocial effect acne has on teenagers and the disparity between groups with regards to treatment options, more than a decade ago in a research study he conducted.

The study, published in the New Zealand Medical Journal, found that 91% of males and 71% of female adolescent respondents suffered from acne. The research also outlined how the severity of the teenager’s acne determined the extent of their embarrassment and the lack of enjoyment and participation in social activities.

Professor Arroll concluded that acne caused “personal and social difficulties for a large number of adolescent students.” There was also “a need for all students to have access to appropriate information and health services so that the social and psychological consequences of acne are minimised.”

Former acne sufferer Sarah Holder, 23, wishes that effective acne treatments had been more readily available during her difficult teen years.

The face she once hid behind long hair now smiles proudly form the walls of RedEleven one of New Zealand’s most prestigious modelling agencies. Her work as a model has taken her all over the world.

It is a job she never dreamt she’d have after battling severe acne as an adolescent. Holder says she supports greater accessibility of a drug she says changed her life.

“I just had no confidence when I was in my teens. I was so embarrassed and would always have my head down. I didn’t want to talk to people because I thought that they were just looking at it the whole time,” she says.

Holder said her acne first appeared when she was 14 and while she tried all sorts of herbal remedies nothing seemed to work. It was only when she was 18 and modelling in Australia that a specialist dermatologist prescribed her Roaccutane®.

“I think it’s important that kids get access to any help they can. Your teenage years are hard enough without having to worry about you’re appearance. Acne really does have a huge impact on your self esteem it’s important to get it treated as quickly as you can.”

The new dermatologist run Skin Institute Acne Clinics which open today will offer end-to-end treatments from topical skincare regimes to the next generation in blue light technology and non-invasive skin rejuvenation techniques.

Skin Institute Director Dr Mark Gray says severe acne can be devastating to a sufferer and hopes the Skin Institute Acne Clinics will help to address access and disparity issues.

Professor Arroll says these issues were evident in the 1995 study which showed there was low use of drugs like Roaccutane® among kids from less wealthy areas.

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