Anti-smoke drug blamed for death
A Perth mother wants her son's death investigated by the State Coroner, believing medication he was taking to help him stop smoking contributed to his decision to take his own life more than three years ago.
Daniel Patterson was prescribed varenicline, a medication marketed as Champix that has been linked to 25 suicides in Australia in the seven years to 2014 and another 286 reports of people attempting to take their own lives or having suicidal thoughts.
Giselle Slater said her son had no history of self-harm or serious mental health issues but took his own life less than a month after he started taking the medication in September 2011.
The 22-year-old had secured a bakery apprenticeship, was planning a holiday in Canada and enrolling in an art course.
"His death doesn't make sense," Ms Slater said. "He had all these things he wanted to do. I believe Daniel would be alive today had he not been taking Champix or, at the very least, had been monitored as required by the Therapeutic Goods Administration when the drug has been prescribed."
The TGA has received more than 1260 reports of suspected adverse psychiatric reactions linked to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme-subsidised medication, which was prescribed more than 2.4 million times between 2008 and 2013.
Ms Slater requested an inquest into her son's death, believing some doctors were not following TGA prescribing requirements for Champix despite the dangers associated with its use.
"I am also under the impression that the (police) coronial investigation unit had uncovered a significant amount of evidence from multiple cases here in WA, including my son's, regarding deaths with links to varenicline," she said. "The WA Coroner had a duty of care to formally investigate this evidence."
Early last year, WA Deputy Coroner Evelyn Vicker advised Ms Slater that they were aware of concerns about Champix and its possible connection to suicide- related deaths. But the court did not find any direct link between the deaths, a spokeswoman said.
Ms Slater's request for a full inquiry has been refused and she was told her son's case would not be reopened unless new information came to light.
The grieving mother was unaware her son had been taking Champix until several months after his death, when police coronial investigators told her the results of toxicology tests.
She now fears his use of the drug triggered a sharp descent into a sadness from which he could not drag himself out.
The TGA is continuing to monitor the drug's safety but believes current warnings are appropriate. AMA WA president Michael Gannon said doctors needed to monitor patients while they were using the medication and in the months afterwards because of the known risks.
I believe Daniel would be alive today had he not been taking Champix."
Giselle Slater * Mother
