Acne Drug Linked to Several Deaths Suspended in France (VIDEO)

A hormonal acne treatment known as Diane-35 has been discontinued after the deaths of many of its users. According to the National Agency for the Safety of Drugs and Health Products (ANSM) in France this week, the medication has been known to cause blood clots and other fatal flaws, resulting in the deaths of four women in France.

The drug, produced by the German firm Bayer, is currently prescribed to 315,000 women in France and sold in over 116 countries, according to reports. Originally authorized for treating acne in young women, many doctors have been using the product as a contraceptive. However, health advisers have warned that the drug was not licensed for such purposes.

According to ANSM, four have died and 125 have suffered related health issues from the product due to blot clots over the past 25 years.

Dominique Maraninchi, the director of ANSM, said that the drug should not be used as a contraceptive, emphasizing that there are many other available contraceptive options for women in France.

After the health concerns, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), has asked that prescription guidelines for the contraceptive be altered so that the risk for blood clots can be lowered.

The product will be taken off shelves over a period of three months to allow users time to find an alternative drug according to Maraninchi.

This suspension is similar to one ANSM issued in November 2009. The drug "Mediator," a product approved for the treatment of diabetes but often prescribed as an appetite suppressant, was taken off the market after several were killed.