Specialist Lawyers Receive Over 230 Enquiries In Relation To The Use Of The Drug

Ex-army chief Lord Dannatt has apologised to troops who took the anti-malaria drug Lariam while under his command and admitted that he refused to take it himself.

Leading military lawyers at Irwin Mitchell say the former head of the British army’s apology and admission confirm how serious the side effects of taking Lariam can be and how important it is for servicemen and women to get the support and treatment they need.

Lord Dannatt, who was chief of the general staff between 2006 and 2009, told BBC2’s Victoria Derbyshire programme he would not take the drug because of the experiences his son had with Lariam.

Dannatt said his son became “extremely depressed” and if he had been left untreated “who knows where it would have gone”.

He told the BBC the side-effects of the drug could be “pretty catastrophic” and as a result whenever he’s needed anti-malarial drugs, Lord Dannatt said, “I’ll take anything, but I’m not taking Lariam”.
 
The ex-army chief made clear that he was “quite content to say sorry” to those troops who had taken Lariam while he was head of the army.

Expert military injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell have received more than 230 enquiries from people claiming to be affected by issues related to Lariam. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) have subsequently been informed of several claims from armed forces personnel who have suffered a range of psychological side-effects, including hallucinations, severe depression, sleep deprivation and anxiety.

The MoD admitted that Lariam may have been used “outside of manufacturers’ guidelines” following a Defence Select Committee inquiry last year.

The Commons Defence Committee said there was "strong anecdotal evidence" that stringent conditions laid down by the manufacturers for issuing Lariam had been ignored by the armed forces and a new report called for the drug to be used only as a last resort. Lord Dannatt said the MoD put the issue of larium prescription “on the back burner”.

The MoDs response to the Select Committee Report has yet to be published.

According to official MOD figures at least 17,368 personnel were prescribed Lariam, also referred to as Mefloquine, at least once between the start of April 2007 and the end of March 2015.

If you or a loved one was prescribed Lariam in the military and subsequently suffered mental health or psychiatric problems, our military injury solicitors could help you to claim compensation. See our Lariam Compensation Claims page for more information.

Kevin Timms, Specialist group actions lawyer at Irwin Mitchell feels the ex-army chief’s comments highlight just how serious the side effects of using Lariam can be.