KEY POINTS:
A skincare chain yesterday opened new acne clinics across New Zealand to improve teenagers' access to advanced acne drugs.
The move comes after Government drug funding agency Pharmac widened prescribing rights to controversial acne treatment Isotretinoin, also known as Roaccutane, allowing general practitioners to prescribe it from next month.
The drug had previously only been available subsidised from a specialist dermatologist.
New Zealand and Australian dermatologists were concerned by Pharmac's move, as the drug's side effects include a risk of birth defects for pregnant women, and there is ongoing debate around the evidence of increased risk of suicidal thoughts.
Pharmac said it had made its decision fully aware of the risks. It had decided to allow greater access because not everyone could afford, or had access to, a specialist dermatologist.
The Skin Institute said its nationwide clinics would be run by dermatologists to address some of the equity of access issues Pharmac had identified.
University of Auckland Medical School general practice head Professor Bruce Arroll's research in 1995 backed up Pharmac's concerns.
He found there was low use of drugs like Isotretinoin among kids from less wealthy areas and acne caused "personal and social difficulties for a large number of adolescent students".
The study of 847 year 12 and 13 students found 91 per cent of boys and 71 per cent of girls suffered from acne.
- NZPA
