TDs to probe adverse side-effects of medicines

THE ADVERSE side-effects of pharmaceuticals is to be examined by a cross-party committee of politicians.

The setting-up of the committee was prompted by a number of incidents, he added, including the recent case in England where a drug trial which went wrong left six previously-healthy young men seriously ill.

In return for payment of €2,900 (£2,000) apiece, the men had volunteered to participate in the first human trials of TGN1412, a drug whose German manufacturer hoped would treat rheumatoid arthritis, leukaemia and multiple sclerosis.

But the six suffered severe reactions, including convulsions and organ failure, after falling victim to what one expert later described as “immunological mayhem”. Five of the six have since been released from hospital.

The sub-committee of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children will advertise in the coming weeks for submissions from the public on the issue.

Chairman of the sub-committee, Independent TD Paudge Connolly said that hearings will begin shortly after that.

“We intend to speak to lots of interested parties — manufacturers, subscribers and users. We’ll call a number of bodies before us, and then compile our report,” he said.

“It’s important we should examine issues like these,” added Mr Connolly, referring to the recent drug trial in England.