Talk:IPLEDGE

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I have submitted basic information about iPLEDGE. Philiphughesmd 18:25, 6 March 2006 (UTC) I have edited it to make it more "neutral." Philiphughesmd 04:03, 7 March 2006 (UTC)

As a parent of a child that takes accutane and a victim of the iPLEDGE nightmare I vouch for the authors neutrality. He had much nicer things to say about iPLEDGE then I do. Eric Pedersen, parent. tisabooks@hotmail.com

This article is not biased! The iPLEDGE program is a disaster according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Philiphughesmd 03:49, 12 April 2006 (UTC)

While I do not necessarily support iPLEDGE (indeed, there are huge failures to the system), this article could include information about the purpose of the program, including information about the birth defects caused by accutane, the discussion leading up to the program and its governing body, and the rationalization for a governing system, while avoiding incendiary language such as "requirements to get it are intrusive, bewildering, and byzantine!" or unsubstantiated claims such as "waits "on hold" of easily 2 hours or more." Customer and dermatologist complaints notwithstanding, an obstetrician may yet say that the program is far from a disaster. I say that this article is still far from neutral. -hedge, 03:54, 19 April 2006 (UTC)

As an 18 year old participant of the iPLEDGE system, I wholeheartedly agree with this author's take on the program. Not only is this a neutral article, but a correct one. I am an extremely punctual, conscientious, and responsible person, and I have had two skip 2 months of my treatment just because of glitches and errors in this ridiculous system full of short windows of time and endless authorizational processes. This medication is changing my life - I have been on antibiotics for more than a decade, and the freedom that this gives me is beyond words. The iPLEDGE system is archaic and abusive, and needs to be removed. Anyone who thinks otherwise has clearly not had an acne problem. abateman@wisc.edu

I've completely revamped the article to make it largely NPOV, while adding relevant links, keeping all the present criticisms, and adding a few of my own. The previous version of the article was loaded with vitriolic terms and didn't really tell me what iPLEDGE was or why it was instituted. Reading the actual website makes it clear that it was badly implemented. One thing this article still needs is an actual linked quote from a named physician, the paragraph with the RxDerm reference is still presented as hearsay (though it may well be true). User:keno 19:58, 27 April 2006 (UTC)

Speaking as a pharmacist, this program was started in response to an easier program that used "qualification stickers" and had time restrictions, but was dependent on the prescriber to screen for pregnancy and counsel on the risk of birth defects. The risk of birth defects with isotretinoin is real, severe, and has happened several times. The ipledge program was created to better prevent pregnancies while people where taking isotretinoin, and was only created after the failure of the previous system. Furthermore, the use of isotretinoin for routine acne cases and not necessarily its FDA indication of "severe recalcitrant nodular acne" further exacerbates the problem of pregnancy during use. The system was also created in order to stop the down-playing of the risks that was commonly done by prescribers (cf. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/514558) On the pharmacy end, we only receive authorization to fill a prescription, entering only the patient's ID number and date of birth- so we don't have any knowledge of any further private information that other editors have complained about. While i certainly understand the hassle this whole system causes (we've had several patients who had to either go back to the doctor or go without for a month) it comes down to the fact that the prescriber is responsible for meeting the prescribing requirements, just as they are for any drug. If patients are having a problem with a particular doctor entering the information in a timely manner, they should perhaps consider switching to another office who is more proficient/efficient/experienced with isotretinoin prescribing and the federal requirements for the drug. The requirements are only stricter for this particular drug due to safety concerns, and the alternative for this system would be a complete withdrawal of isotretinoin from the marketplace--something that patients, prescribers, and manufacturers didn't want to see. --Edge79mi 04:26, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Male & Female program?

From reading the article it seems like the program is mostly geared at women, and it is unclear if only women must sign up for the program? Is that the case? Myrockstar 11:32, 17 July 2006 (UTC)

I'm taking the medication right now, am male, and I did sign up for the program, but don't need to do much in it. I don't need to answer the questions every month or do the urine samples, but I do have an iPLEDGE card. - Bill3000 22:04, 30 August 2006 (UTC)

I'm also on the medication and a male. I have to have blood work done monthly, and I still have to follow the 30 days/7-day window garbage. I don't have to answer questions or anything, though, I just have to swear not to share my drugs, which, of course I wouldn't becuase I want the treatment.

I'm also on the program as a male. We just don't have to do their questions/urine tests, but we do have to have bloodwork every month and complete the initial questionaire to get into iPledge, swear not to share the drug(not that I would, as said above, I want the damned treatment!), not to get anyone pregnant, etc.

I am also on the medication and am male. There is the bloodwork, initial questionnaire, not sharing, etc. as mentioned above. Though in contrast to what's mentioned above, nowhere does it state the medication affects male reproduction, so that a male could cause pregnancy without any adverse consequences caused by the medication. The card is a necessity to get the prescription filled, and getting the medication filled in strictly regulated(you cannot get it filled even a day earlier than 30 days from the previous filling, etc.), which can be very cumbersome when trying to schedule appointments. Smeggysmeg 16:51, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Article needs work

At the moment, the article seems to be little more than a list of problems (however significant) with the program, moreso than a source of information on the program/website, and background history explaining its purpose and methods. --NEMT 20:50, 30 November 2006 (UTC)