The Irish Medicines Board has one reported case of suicide linked to the anti-acne drug Roaccutane, the case of the 20-year-old UCD student who hanged himself last June.

Following advice from the US Food and Drug Administration concerning the drug, the board has contacted the Irish office of Roche Pharmaceuticals, the company which manufactures Roaccutane, and expects to discuss the matter at European level.

Roaccutane (Isotretinoin), according to Roche, is a treatment for acne, especially in patients whose acne has not responded to other treatments. The use of the drug must be supervised by a dermatologist.

Dr John Kelly, IMB chief executive, told The Irish Times that Roaccutane was "undoubtedly of benefit" to people with severe acne. While there was no evidence in Ireland of Roaccutane causing people to commit suicide, he said there were difficulties in that the drug tended to be prescribed mainly to a population of young men who were already at high risk for suicide.

The fact they were suffering from a disfiguring skin condition, which could cause such embarrassment socially, was an added complication.

Dr Louise Barnes, a consultant dermatologist at St James Hospital, Dublin, said Roaccutane was "like a wonder drug" and she hoped there would not be a panic. "It is a very important drug which leads to a fantastic response for people with bad cystic, scarring acne and cases that have failed to respond to other treatment. We see a lot of very upset people who won't even go outside because of their acne." She said the drug had a lengthy list of side effects and she had experienced "one or two" cases where patients became depressed. As a result of the FDA warning, she would now bring the possibility of depression into discussions with patients.

"It is very hard to see how significant it is in the overall picture. I have no problem with the FDA bringing this to our attention, but I hope it will not lead to a panic of withdrawal of the product. I believe there are people with such bad acne they may have committed suicide for lack of Roaccutane," said Dr Barnes.

Dr Michael Kelleher, head of the National Suicide Research Foundation, said it had been known for some time that some medicines could induce depression. The FDA, he said, would take the most cautious approach possible, "but obviously a report and a worry such as this is an important consideration." He said patients taking Roaccutane should be told of the possibility of depression.

"If the person does become depressed, they should go back to the doctor who prescribed it and maybe it would be necessary to discontinue it. As the FDA pointed out, it may not be sufficient to simply discontinue if the person suffers depression.

"Treatment may be needed. Depression is a tricky thing. It may be triggered by something but even if that is stopped, it may remain. Someone with suicidal thoughts or ideas should always talk to a family member or someone they trust."

He said claims had been made about one particular anti-depressant in the US, saying it induced aggression and suicidal thoughts, "but when they examined it properly no substantial evidence was found to support such a contention".

Appearance, said Dr Kelleher, was extremely important to young people. If they suffered from acne they could become preoccupied with it, "but obviously this would not fit in with a person taking it, suffering from depression, stopping taking it and then feeling all right."