A solicitor's firm preparing a lawsuit against the makers of one of the most popular anti-depressant drugs says its case could prove to be "as large as the army deafness claims".
A number of Dublin-based legal firms are to seek compensation for alleged adverse symptoms suffered by clients after they stopped using Seroxat, which is manufactured by drugs giant GlaxoSmithKline.
Ms Carmel Rafter of Thomas Byrne & Company, which is preparing a class action against the manufacturers in conjunction with other solicitors, said the firm expected a large number of individuals to sign up.
"We anticipate a large-scale case. It could well prove to be as big as the army deafness claims.
"Depression is one of the most common illnesses affecting people and Seroxat is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs. Based on numbers elsewhere and media reports, many people have had difficulty weaning themselves off it," she said.
In Britain, at least 1,000 men and women who claim to be addicted to the anti-depressant are seeking legal action against the manufacturers. Several major court actions have also been filed in the US by patients who say their lives have been blighted by dependency on the drug.
Seroxat, which is prescribed to thousands of Irish patients, is an antidepressant of the SSRI (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor) class to which Prozac also belongs.
While many people say it has changed their lives by lifting them out of depression, some have experienced painful side-effects when they tried to reduce the dose or stop taking it.
GlaxoSmithKline withdrew a patient leaflet for Seroxat earlier this month saying the drug is not addictive amid mounting concern over the side effects of the drug.
It also withdraw claims on the leaflet that the drug worked by normalising the levels of serotonin, a chemical linked with brain function.
The Irish Medicines Board said the drug's claims "were not consistent with the scientific literature" and requested the changes following a number of complaints.
Legal experts say these changes strengthen their case against the manufacturer, but a spokesman for GlaxoSmithKline yesterday said there was no evidence to suggest the drug was addictive.
The spokesman said the decision to withdraw the phrase, "Remember, you cannot become addicted to Seroxat", came as a result of confusion among patients over the meaning of the leaflet.
Ms Rafter said Thomas Byrne & Company wanted the cases to be held in camera to protect the identity of patients who would feel uncomfortable having the details of their illness heard in public. She also said they hoped to file the lawsuit as soon as possible due to the statute of limitation rules.
Another legal firm, Peter McDonnell & Associates, is also reportedly preparing a lawsuit against the drug's manufacturers.
