A MEDICAL student's suicide could be linked to a drug used to fight acne, a coroner said.
Bright, outgoing Jon Medland, 22, hanged himself three weeks after first taking Roaccutane to clear up his spots.
His family warned him to stop the drug after he became depressed and threatened to kill himself, the inquest heard.
A flatmate described seeing marks from the blade on his chest. Jon was given anti-depressants but died later that day. His father Jonathan, 47, said after the Manchester inquest: "People may be dying because of this drug."
Coroner Leonard Gorodkin called for more information on the drug, linked to more than 100 suicides.
He said: "It's possible that the way Mr Medland acted leading up to him taking his own life was an adverse reaction but I cannot say it for certain. This is a likely or a possible link."
Roaccutane carries a warning that patients may suffer mood swings.
Manufacturer Roche said: "While no causal link has been established between Roaccutane and depression or suicide, we are constantly monitoring all available safety databases."
Verdict on Jon, of Withington, Manchester: Suicide.
