Andre Maddock with partner Nadia Jooste and their then 18-month-old son Lucas.
Photo: Supplied.
Judge Deborah Marshall was not able to confirm a switch to the lamotrigine brand Logem caused the deaths, although could not rule it out as a background factor for two of them.
As such no recommendations were made.
Arabella Gubay, a patient advocate whose daughter has epilepsy, was furious. I m absolutely shocked and heartbroken that the coroner was looking for 100 percent certainty that the brand switch alone had caused these deaths, and in the absence of finding that, she s made no recommendations whatsoever for a system that s clearly in crisis.
But from October 1, 2019, Pharmac funded Logem only, other than in exceptional circumstances.
SUPPLIED/Stuff.co.nz
William Oliver switched to Logem in April 2019 and died four months later. Multiple families told the coroner they and their loved ones were unaware of, and under-educated about, the brand switch. One doctor learned of the change through reports of his patient s death in the media. Coroner Marshall said evidence provided during the inquest showed advice by Pharmac in relation to the brand switch was sufficient to ensure general practitioners had enough information to provide to their patients. However, she found Pharmac didn’t have any procedures in place to make sure the information provided was effective.
Friday, 21 May 2021, 5:06 am
PHARMAC accepts the coroner’s comments that not all
information about the brand change reached
patients.
“We offer our deepest condolences to the
families and friends of Ricky Blackler, Reuben Brown,
Krystle Loye, Andre Maddock, William Oliver, and Jessica
Reid,” says PHARMAC’s director of operations Lisa
Williams.
“I attended every day of the inquest and
listened to all evidence shared. The strength of the
families of those who passed away was inspiring and I
applaud them for taking part.
“The coroner has said
the evidence does not clearly link the brand change to the
deaths. However, she made comments that our patient leaflet