State sued by former soldier over malaria pill
A FORMER army sergeant claims his life has been turned upside down by serious psychiatric troubles since being given an anti-malaria drug.
Sergeant Anthony Cole has sued the Minister for Defence for damages, in what is being regarded as a test case for the Army’s widespread use of Lariam.
The High Court heard the 51-yearold married father-of-three had an exemplary service record spanning 33 years, and had earned a number of medals. But his counsel, Jerry Healy SC, said the Lariam given him before, during and after a tour of duty in Chad in early 2009, had left him feeling very ‘depressed and irritable, with headaches and nightmares’. He added that these ‘dreadful symptoms’, may last the rest of his life.
Mr Healy said the potentially dangerous side-effects of the drug, such as paranoia, increased aggression and depression, were widely recognised in medical circles. But, he alleged, the Army had failed to monitor its use correctly.
Mr Healy said there were other anti-malarial drugs available but Larium was chosen because it was cheap and only had to be given once a week. He also noted the medicine’s own advice to patients was that any psychiatric side-effects should be reported, and a different drug used.
But the Irish Army advised soldiers only to report an issue if it had become ‘intolerable’ – and warned that if they could not take Lariam, they could not serve overseas, he said. Mr Healy further said that although the drug should be administered in a medical setting, soldiers, including Sergeant Cole, who served at the Collins Barracks in Cork, had picked it up ‘like paracetamol in Tesco’ from medical aid posts.
Sergeant Cole’s doctors did not tell him his troubles were linked to Lariam, Mr Healy said – despite discussing the possible link themselves.
He said: ‘When he began to realise the link [in April 2011], he then issued proceedings.’
The Minister for Defence, the State and the Attorney General, contest his claim, arguing Sgt Cole delayed too long before launching his case. They also deny he suffered psychiatric or emotional damage as a result of the drug, or that they were negligent in failing to warn soldiers about the dangers. They further deny they failed to offer medical assistance.
The case continues before Judge Bronagh O’Hanlon on Tuesday.
‘Side-effects were widely known’