Law firm not expecting swine flu narcolepsy case in court before 2016

A law firm representing the bulk of children and adults who developed narcolepsy in the wake of being vaccinated against swine flu is not expecting to go to trial before March 2016.

Michael Boylan, managing partner at Augustus Cullen Law and head of its medical negligence group, said there are challenges recruiting expert witnesses because of the links many have with major pharmaceutical companies and with various health product regulatory agencies.

Regulatory authorities, including in Ireland, licensed the use of Pandemrix, a vaccine made by GlaxoSmithKline, to combat the H1N1 virus.