Autonomy, Isotretinoin, and iPLEDGE: The Ethics of Burdensome Regulation and Prescribing Teratogenic Medications

This chapter provides an overview of the current requirements for isotretinoin prescription in several populations and seeks to delineate the ethical principles most relevant to the use of teratogenic medications in dermatology, namely, autonomy, justice, and nonmaleficence. We then provide a framework for evaluating ethical conflicts that may arise and apply that framework to case scenarios involving teratogenic medications for non-life-threatening conditions.