Accufine 40mg

Accufine 40mg is an isotretinoin 40 mg capsule sold in India under Healing Pharma India's Accufine brand. Isotretinoin is an oral retinoid (a vitamin A derivative) used for severe acne, such as severe nodular acne, that has not cleared with standard treatment including antibiotic tablets. We sell it in packs of 100, 200 and 300 capsules, from $0.83 a capsule in the largest pack.

Read this before anything else. Isotretinoin causes severe birth defects. The US label says there is "an extremely high risk that life-threatening birth defects will result if pregnancy occurs while taking any amount" of isotretinoin, "even for short periods of time". Every label we checked allows it only under a doctor's supervision, with pregnancy prevention for anyone who can get pregnant, pregnancy tests before, during and after treatment, and blood tests for lipids and liver function. In the US it is available only through a restricted programme called iPLEDGE, in the UK and Canada it is prescribed under pregnancy prevention programmes, and in Australia only by a dermatologist or specialist physician, who must first exclude pregnancy in a woman of child-bearing age. We cannot provide any of that. So, in our view, you should not take Accufine 40mg unless a doctor who knows you have it is prescribing isotretinoin for you and running the monthly checks, and US readers should get isotretinoin through iPLEDGE, not from us. This page sets out what the current US, UK and Canadian labels say, listed at the end.

Accufine 40mg at a glance

Price per capsule

Prices below are as of October 2026; the pack selector shows the current price.

The 200 and 300 packs are cheaper per capsule before shipping as well as after it.

How long a pack lasts, and why that matters. The US label's table for 1 mg/kg a day gives an 80 kg adult 40 mg twice a day. On that dose the 100 pack lasts 50 days, the 200 pack 100 days and the 300 pack 150 days (about 21 weeks). At one 40 mg capsule a day, which the UK label allows, the packs last 100, 200 and 300 days. A full US course of 15 to 20 weeks at 40 mg twice a day uses 210 to 280 capsules. This is our arithmetic from the label doses, not a label figure, and your doctor sets your dose by your weight and response.

All three packs hold more than one month of treatment. That conflicts with how the labels expect isotretinoin to be supplied: under iPLEDGE, pharmacies dispense a maximum 30-day supply with no refills to every patient (US label 5.2), and for anyone who can get pregnant the UK label says the prescription should ideally be limited to 30 days and the Canadian monograph says prescriptions for women of childbearing potential are limited to 30 days. The monthly limit exists so that a negative pregnancy test comes before each month's supply. Do not keep capsules from a large pack after your course ends: the UK label says to return unused capsules to a pharmacist, and never give them to anyone else.

Compared with US isotretinoin

NADAC is the average price US pharmacies pay to buy a medicine, published by the US Medicaid programme; it is not the price a patient pays. In the NADAC file effective 21 October 2026, the 18 generic isotretinoin 40 mg capsule rows are priced at either $2.19414 or $5.82844 a capsule, and Amnesteem, Claravis and Zenatane 40 mg rows at $2.19414. Absorica 40 mg is $38.21939 a capsule (rate effective 22 July 2026). So our capsule costs less than a US pharmacy pays. That does not make it a sensible way to buy isotretinoin in the US: the US label says it is available only through iPLEDGE, which includes the monthly pregnancy tests and checks, and an order from us sits outside it. If you are in the US, ask your prescriber and a certified pharmacy about generic prices and insurance cover instead.

We have not seen bioequivalence data comparing Accufine with any US or UK isotretinoin. The labels themselves warn that isotretinoin products differ: Absorica's label says Absorica and Absorica LD are not substitutable with each other, Absorica can be taken with or without meals while Amnesteem is dosed with food, and the Canadian monograph says Epuris should not be substituted with other isotretinoin formulations.

Which strength to choose

Isotretinoin doses are set by body weight, not by a fixed strength. Your doctor works out your daily dose and then the mix of capsules. The table shows where the 40 mg capsule fits, using the US label's dose tables and the UK label.

Under the UK label, treatment starts at 0.5 mg/kg a day. For anyone under about 80 kg, one 40 mg capsule a day is more than that starting dose (our arithmetic), so Accufine 40mg is not suitable as a first dose for them. The labels say the dose may then be adjusted by response and side effects, some of which are dose related. Never raise your own dose. Accufine also comes as 20 mg, and isotretinoin is sold by us as Isotroin 20mg (Cipla) and Glotret 20mg.

How to take Accufine 40mg

1. Take it only as your doctor prescribes, with food. The UK label says take it with food once or twice daily; the US Amnesteem label says 0.5 to 1 mg/kg a day "given in two divided doses with food". Food matters: a high-fat meal raised isotretinoin exposure 2.7-fold in the US label (12.3), and the UK label says food doubles bioavailability (5.2).
2. Swallow the capsule whole with a full glass of liquid, to lower the risk of irritation of the gullet. "Do not split, crush, chew, or suck on the capsules" (US label 2.2).
3. If you miss a dose, the US label says "just skip that dose. Do not take two doses ... at the same time."
4. Expect a possible flare at the start. The UK label says acne occasionally worsens in the first weeks and this usually settles within 7 to 10 days without a dose change.
5. Course length: 15 to 20 weeks (US) or 16 to 24 weeks (UK). The US label says your doctor may stop early if the nodule count has fallen by more than 70%. Acne may keep improving after you stop (up to 8 weeks, UK label), so a second course is not considered before at least 2 months off treatment (US) or 8 weeks (UK).
6. The US label says long-term use, even at low doses, "has not been studied, and is not recommended".
7. Use a moisturiser and lip balm from the start (UK label 4.4). Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight and UV light, including tanning machines (US label 17 and Medication Guide), and where needed use a sunscreen of at least SPF 15 (UK label 4.4).
8. Do not have waxing, dermabrasion or laser skin treatment during treatment and for at least 6 months after (US label 17; the UK label says 5 to 6 months for dermabrasion and laser and at least 6 months for waxing). Avoid other peeling or exfoliating acne products at the same time (UK label 4.5).

Pregnancy: the rules every label sets

The US label's boxed warning says isotretinoin "can cause life-threatening birth defects and is contraindicated in pregnancy", that "Potentially any fetus exposed during pregnancy can be affected", and that "There are no accurate means of determining prenatally whether an exposed fetus has been affected." The UK label calls it "a powerful human teratogen inducing a high frequency of severe and life threatening birth defects". Documented defects include malformations of the face, eyes, ears, skull, brain, heart, thymus and parathyroid glands, and miscarriage and premature birth (US label 8.1).

If you can get pregnant, the labels require all of the following, organised by your prescriber:

• Contraception. US: two forms of contraception at the same time, at least one of them a primary form (such as an IUD, implant, injection, combined pill, patch or ring, or sterilisation), from at least one month before, throughout treatment and for one month after, unless you commit to continuous abstinence or cannot get pregnant for a medical reason. Progestogen-only "minipills" are an inadequate form during treatment (US label 8.3). UK: at least one highly effective, user-independent method or two complementary user-dependent methods, from at least 1 month before, throughout and for at least 1 month after, even if you have no periods (UK label 4.4).
• Pregnancy tests. US: a screening test and a confirmatory test in a medical setting before starting, a test before each monthly prescription, one at the end of treatment and one a month after (US label 5.14, 8.3). UK: a medically supervised test before starting, follow-up visits ideally monthly with tests according to local practice, and a final test one month after stopping (UK label 4.4).
• If pregnancy happens, or you have unprotected sex, stop the capsules straight away and contact your doctor. The US label says to stop immediately and refer to an obstetrician experienced in reproductive toxicity, and asks that suspected exposure during or 1 month after treatment be reported to the FDA (MedWatch, 1-800-FDA-1088) and the iPLEDGE pregnancy registry.

Everyone who takes isotretinoin, whatever their sex: do not give blood during treatment and for 1 month after stopping, because the blood could go to a pregnant person (US label 5.1; UK label 4.4), and never share your capsules with anyone. The UK label says the available data suggest exposure through the semen of men taking isotretinoin is not large enough to be linked with birth defects. The US label says breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment and for at least 8 days after the last dose; the UK label lists breastfeeding as a contraindication.

Monitoring your doctor should arrange

• Before starting: fasting lipids (including triglycerides) and liver function tests (US label 2.1; UK label 4.4), pregnancy tests where relevant, and an assessment of mental health and, in the UK, sexual function (UK label 4.4; MHRA 2023).
• During treatment: the UK label says check liver enzymes and fasting lipids 1 month after starting, then every 3 months unless more often is needed. The US label says repeat fasting lipids at intervals until the lipid response is known, which usually occurs within 4 weeks, and liver tests periodically. More frequent lipid checks are advised for people with diabetes, obesity, high alcohol intake or a lipid disorder (US 5.7), and the UK label adds blood glucose checks for them (4.4).
• Every visit: questions about depression, mood disturbance, psychosis and aggression (US label 5.3), and in the UK about mental health and sexual function side effects. The MHRA asks UK prescribers to review patients about 1 month after starting in a face-to-face appointment.

Side effects

The UK label says the most commonly reported side effects are dryness of the skin and of the lips, the inside of the nose (with nosebleeds) and the eyes. Some side effects are dose related, and the UK label says they are generally reversible but some may persist after treatment stops. The US label lists cheilitis (dry, cracked lips) and raised triglycerides as dose related.

Selected rows. The US label says the lipid changes were reversible when treatment stopped. Other effects in the labels include dry eyes and trouble wearing contact lenses, decreased night vision (which in some people has persisted, and can start suddenly, so take care driving at night), sensitivity to sunlight, hair thinning (in some cases persistent), headache, nosebleeds, changes in blood sugar control and new cases of diabetes, and sexual dysfunction (including erectile dysfunction and lower libido) that may continue after treatment stops (US label 6; UK label 4.4, 4.8).

Serious warnings in the labels

• Mental health. The US label says isotretinoin "may cause depression, psychosis and, rarely, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, suicide, and aggressive and/or violent behaviors", and that anyone who develops depression, mood disturbance, psychosis or aggression should "immediately stop" it and promptly contact their health care provider, adding that stopping "may be insufficient" (5.3). The UK label adds anxiety and mood alterations and says awareness by family or friends may help detect a decline (4.4). Tell your doctor about any personal or family history of mental health problems before starting.
• Raised pressure in the skull (pseudotumor cerebri). Reported with isotretinoin, some cases with tetracycline antibiotics. Early signs: headache, nausea and vomiting, visual disturbances and swelling of the optic disc (US label 5.4).
• Serious skin reactions. Erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis, which "may be serious and result in death" (US label 5.5). The UK label adds acute generalised exanthematous pustulosis and says treatment must not be restarted after such a reaction (4.4).
• Pancreatitis, including rare fatal haemorrhagic pancreatitis, with high or normal triglycerides (US label 5.6). The UK label says triglycerides above 800 mg/dL (9 mmol/L) are sometimes associated with acute pancreatitis, which may be fatal.
• Liver. Clinical hepatitis has been reported (US label 5.9).
• Bowel. Inflammatory bowel disease, in some cases persisting after stopping (US label 5.10).
• Hearing. Impaired hearing, in some cases persisting after stopping; stop and seek specialist care for tinnitus or hearing loss (US label 5.8).
• Bones and muscles. Reports of osteoporosis, fractures, delayed fracture healing and premature closure of growth plates; teenagers in repetitive-impact sports may be at increased risk of spondylolisthesis, and hip growth plate injuries have been reported (US label 5.11). Rare reports of rhabdomyolysis, some after strenuous exercise (US label 5.14).
• Eyes. Corneal opacities, decreased night vision and dry eyes; stop and have an eye examination if vision problems occur (US label 5.12).
• Allergy. Anaphylaxis and allergic vasculitis have been reported (US label 5.13).

When to get urgent help

Stop Accufine and get emergency help, or contact your doctor the same day as stated, if:

• You have thoughts of suicide or self-harm, or new depression, aggression, or seeing or hearing things that are not there. Call emergency services now if you are in danger. The labels say to stop isotretinoin and contact your doctor.
• You are, or might be, pregnant, or you had unprotected sex during treatment or within a month of stopping. Stop the capsules and contact your doctor the same day.
• You have a severe headache with blurred vision, nausea or vomiting (possible raised pressure in the skull; US label 5.4).
• You have severe stomach pain, rectal bleeding or severe diarrhoea (US label 5.6 and 5.10).
• You have a rash with blisters, peeling skin or sores in the mouth, or swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, trouble breathing or swallowing, or hives.
• You have yellow skin or eyes or dark urine, ringing in the ears or hearing loss, a sudden change in vision, or severe muscle pain or weakness.
• Someone has taken too much. The US label lists vomiting, facial flushing, cracked lips, abdominal pain, headache, dizziness and unsteadiness after overdose, and suggests the Poison Help line (US 1-800-222-1222). Anyone who could become pregnant needs a pregnancy check, nobody who overdosed should give blood for at least 1 month, and the US label tells men to use a condom, or avoid sex that could lead to pregnancy, with a partner who is or might become pregnant, for 1 month after an overdose (US label 10).

Grouping these symptoms into one list, and the advice to call emergency services, is ours; the label sections are given for each item. Tell the medical staff that you take isotretinoin (Accufine), the dose and when you started.

Who should not take Accufine 40mg

Never take it if:

• you are pregnant (US label 4; UK label 4.3)
• you can get pregnant and are not in a pregnancy prevention programme with your prescriber. The UK label makes this a contraindication unless every condition of the Pregnancy Prevention Programme is met (4.3); in the US, isotretinoin is available only through iPLEDGE
• you are breastfeeding (UK label 4.3; the US label says breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment and for at least 8 days after)
• you are allergic to isotretinoin, to vitamin A (US label 4), or to any ingredient of the capsule. The UK label contraindicates Roaccutane 20 mg in people allergic to peanut or soya because it contains soya-bean oil, and US Amnesteem capsules contain soybean oil. We have not seen Accufine's ingredient list, so if you have a peanut or soya allergy, do not take it unless your doctor has checked the carton
• you have liver insufficiency, very high blood lipids or excess vitamin A in the body (UK label 4.3)
• you take a tetracycline antibiotic such as doxycycline, minocycline or lymecycline. It is a UK contraindication (4.3); the US label says "Avoid concomitant use" (7.2), because of raised pressure in the skull

Avoid, or only with your doctor's agreement:

• Vitamin A supplements: US label 7.1 says avoid; UK label 4.5 says patients should not take vitamin A at the same time.
• Children under 12: not recommended (UK 4.2); safety and effectiveness not established (US 8.4).
• Under 18 in the UK: since 2023 the MHRA requires 2 independent prescribers to agree that there is no other appropriate effective treatment before isotretinoin is started.
• Depression or other mental health history: particular care (UK 4.4); tell your doctor first.
• Diabetes, obesity, high alcohol intake or a lipid disorder: more frequent tests (US 5.7; UK 4.4).
• Bone problems, such as childhood osteoporosis, osteomalacia or anorexia nervosa: the US label advises caution (5.11).
• Severe kidney impairment: the UK label says start at a lower dose (for example 10 mg a day), so Accufine 40mg is not suitable as a starting dose.
• Hormonal contraceptives: the US label says no clinically significant interaction was seen with a norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol pill, and that it is not known for other pills (7.3). Tell your doctor which method you use.
• Other medicines and herbal products: the US Medication Guide says do not take them during treatment unless you talk to your health care provider.

Prescription and legal status

United States: isotretinoin is a prescription medicine, and the US label says that because of the risk of birth defects it "is available only through a restricted program" called the iPLEDGE REMS. Prescribers and pharmacies must be certified, patients must be enrolled, pharmacies dispense at most a 30-day supply with no refills, and wholesalers may supply only certified pharmacies (US label 5.2). The FDA says personal importation of unapproved medicines is illegal in most circumstances. We are not part of iPLEDGE, so our advice to US readers is not to order isotretinoin from us.

United Kingdom: isotretinoin is a prescription-only medicine that the UK label says should only be prescribed by or under the supervision of physicians with expertise in systemic retinoids for severe acne. Since 2023 the MHRA has required new counselling, assessment of mental health and sexual function before and during treatment, and 2 independent prescribers for anyone under 18. On the electronic medicines compendium we found isotretinoin 5, 10 and 20 mg capsules but no 40 mg capsule (emc is not the full MHRA register).

Australia: oral isotretinoin is Schedule 4 and listed in Appendix D of the Poisons Standard (October 2026), so it may be supplied only by or on the prescription of a specialist physician or a dermatologist, who, for a woman of child-bearing age, must confirm that pregnancy has been excluded before treatment and advise her to avoid pregnancy for 1 month after it ends. The PBS lists isotretinoin 40 mg capsules (Oratane, Dermatane).

Canada: isotretinoin is a prescription medicine (Epuris 10, 20, 30 and 40 mg, Cipher); the Canadian monograph requires prescribers to use the EPURIS PEER Program (its pregnancy prevention programme) for women of childbearing potential, with monthly pregnancy tests before each 30-day prescription.

India: Truemeds marks Accufine 40 as "Prescription required". We did not verify its schedule under Indian drug rules.

Buying genuine Accufine

The MHRA warns that "Any medicine not authorised for sale in the UK can be unsafe or ineffective and there is no way of knowing what is in them or the negative health effects they can have", and advises: "Only use UK-registered pharmacies, including online pharmacies displaying the official green cross logo". That warning covers this Indian Accufine pack. For isotretinoin there is a further reason: a UK pharmacy dispensing it works within the Pregnancy Prevention Programme and the 2023 measures, and we do not.

When your order arrives, read the strip: Truemeds lists Accufine 40 as a strip of 10 capsules from Healing Pharma India Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, stored below 25°C; GNH India lists it as Isotretinoin IP 40 mg with ambient storage. Check the batch number and expiry date. These checks cannot prove that capsules are genuine, because counterfeiters copy packaging. If a batch causes unusual symptoms, seek medical advice and report it to your medicines regulator (the MHRA Yellow Card scheme in the UK, FDA MedWatch in the US, the TGA in Australia or Health Canada) as well as to us.

Delivery

We ship Accufine 40mg to the US, UK, Australia and Canada in plain packaging with tracking. Standard delivery takes 7 to 14 business days. Shipping costs a flat $25 on orders under $149 and is free from $149. Truemeds says to store Accufine below 25°C in a dry place, protected from light and moisture; the US Amnesteem label also says to protect isotretinoin capsules from light. See our shipping page and refund policy.

Related guides

• Isotretinoin for acne: results, dosing, relapse, side effects and the pregnancy rules
• Doxycycline for acne: dose, duration, and why it never works alone (doxycycline is a tetracycline and must not be taken with isotretinoin)

Other strengths: Accufine 5mg, Accufine 10mg and Accufine 30mg. Other isotretinoin brands: Isotroin 10mg and Glotret 10mg.

Sources

• Amnesteem (isotretinoin capsules), US prescribing information and Medication Guide, Mylan, revised 8/2026 (DailyMed setid b2cb63c9-f825-4991-9a2c-6260f1bbcc2c, version 26, effective 15 August 2026): boxed warning, sections 1, 2.1 to 2.3, 3, 4, 5.1 to 5.14, 6, 7.1 to 7.3, 8.1 to 8.4, 10, 12.3, 16, 17. DailyMed
• Absorica and Absorica LD (isotretinoin capsules), US prescribing information, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (DailyMed setid 3ef0cff8-19c1-4441-b780-fca6c7ee1615, version 21, effective 19 August 2026): sections 2.2, 14. DailyMed
• Roaccutane 20 mg soft capsules, UK SmPC, Neon Healthcare, revised 27 April 2026: sections 4.1 to 4.9, 5.2, 6.4. emc
• MHRA Drug Safety Update, October 2023: Isotretinoin (Roaccutane): introduction of new safety measures, including additional oversight of the initiation of treatment for patients under 18 years of age. GOV.UK
• Epuris (isotretinoin capsules) Product Monograph, Cipher Pharmaceuticals, date of authorization 13 May 2025: sections 1, 3. Health Canada
• Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard, October 2026) Instrument 2026 (F2026L01327): Schedule 4 and Appendix D, clause 2, item 4.
• Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme: isotretinoin capsules, including 40 mg (item 2549E), checked 24 October 2026. PBS
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) 2026: isotretinoin 40 mg capsule rows at $2.19414 and $5.82844 (effective 21 October 2026); Absorica 40 mg $38.21939 (effective 22 July 2026). data.medicaid.gov
• Indian and trade listings for Accufine 40 (Truemeds; GNH India), checked 24 October 2026.
• MHRA. 20 million illegal erectile dysfunction pills seized as MHRA warns against risky online buys, 13 February 2026. GOV.UK
• US Food and Drug Administration. Personal Importation. FDA

This page is for information and is not medical advice. Isotretinoin is a prescription medicine that causes severe birth defects. Take it only under the care of a doctor who prescribes it for you, runs the pregnancy prevention programme where it applies, and checks your blood tests and mental health during treatment.