Lariam

There has been a great deal of controversy surrounding the use of the drug ‘Lariam’ with the Defence Forces and other military divisions. Lariam was used as an anti-malarial drug for soldiers serving overseas. However, the side effects of this drug have been increasingly linked to severe psychiatric symptoms suffered by many service men and women who have been deployed overseas with the Defence Forces.

Lariam has been controversial throughout the world and the US Army have deemed the use of Lariam as a matter of last resort. Unfortunately, many men and women are still being given this before deployment and the lasting effects of it are devastating.

A recent High Court case in Ireland settled where a man, who served in the Defence Forces for three decade, began to suffer headaches, nightmares, mood swings and irritability as a result of being given Lariam. Justice Bronagh O’Hanlon regarded this case as a test case which simply means a case that sets a precedent for other cases regarding a similar question of law.

The case settled out of Cork on confidential terms which positively show that the Defence Forces use of Lariam within the armed forces has been negligent. There are thousands of men and women who have been provided Lariam whilst in the Defence Forces who are eligible for a personal injury case. The psychiatric effects of Lariam could last a life time and what this recent High Court case has proven is that there is an admission of negligence on behalf of the Defence Forces.

If you think you may have been given Lariam, also known as Mefloquine, then you could have a strong case for compensation. The following are a number of symptoms commonly associated with Lariam:

• Disrupted Sleep
• Headaches
• Nightmares
• Mood Swings
• Irritability
• Depression
• Hallucination
• Nausea/loss of appetite
• Vomitting

If you have any of the above symptoms, it is recommended you seek medical attention as a safety precaution. The side effects of Lariam are well documented and you should be told these before being told to take them.

These personal compensation cases are still relatively new, but at Rogers Solicitors, we are currently dealing with a number of Lariam cases so please contact us if you feel you may be suffering any side effects from Lariam.