Law firm set to take action over tranquilliser abuse

A LAW firm may take civil action for up to 20 people against pharmaceutical companies and family doctors involved in the manufacture and prescription of household tranquillisers and sleeping tablets.

This follows a report presented to the European Commission last week claiming Ireland had the highest use of benzodiazepines (tranquillisers and sleeping tablets) per head of population in the EU.

In 2002, a Department of Health committee highlighted “worrying evidence” of benzodiazepine use and recommended more regulation and a crackdown on irresponsible prescribing. Law firm Ward & Fitzpatrick is examining court cases in England, where people have successfully taken actions against both pharmaceutical companies and individual family doctors in relation to benzodiazepines.