What is Lariam?
Lariam, an anti-malarial drug with the generic name of mefloquine hydrochloride, is marketed by Roche Pharmaceuticals. Lariam was designed by the United States Army in order to prevent malaria. Malaria is a deadly infection that spreads to humans from mosquito bites and is believed to kill approximately 1 million people each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Soldiers take the drug as a preventative measure when they are deployed to areas where malaria is present, usually in tropical environments. Tourists and world travelers outside of the military who travel to these areas where mosquitoes carry the malaria infection also use Lariam as a preventative measure against the disease. Lariam received its approval from the FDA in 1989.
Lariam and Depression
Lariam has been the subject of controversy as the drug has been linked to harmful side effects. Lariam has been linked to depression, hallucinations, paranoia, confusion, aggression, anxiety, and psychotic behavior. Internal documents from Roche indicate that the pharmaceutical company has received approximately 3,000 reports of psychiatric problems in users of Lariam. Some patients who have experienced these harmful side effects after taking Lariam have reported that the side effects continued even after use of the drug had stopped. Patients with depression or mental illness are advised not to use Lariam, according to a medication guide for Lariam developed by the FDA and Roche Pharmaceuticals. The FDA prompted Roche to develop the medication guide after concerns were raised about the psychiatric side effects of Lariam.
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Lariam Linked to Suicide
Questions about Lariam use made headlines in 2002 when four soldiers at Fort Bragg were all accused of killing their wives within a 6-week span. Three of the four accused soldiers were all believed to have taken Lariam while serving in Afghanistan. The three soldiers believed to be taking Lariam all subsequently committed suicide. In 2004, another soldier who had begun to take Lariam before being deployed to Iraq, killed himself in his front yard three weeks after returning home. Alternative malaria drugs are available and are believed to be effective in preventing malaria with fewer psychiatric side effects. However, there are strains of malaria are immune to some of the alternative anti-malarial medications.
Questions and Consultations
If you or a family member has used the anti-malarial drug Lariam and noticed adverse side effects, such as hallucinations or suicidal thoughts, you should contact a physician immediately. If you would like to discuss your rights, are interested in more information on Lariam litigation, or if you have information about the cases that you would like to share with us, please fill out the short evaluation form below and a member of Seeger Weiss LLP’s experienced staff will call you to discuss your potential rights concerning Lariam. Attorney consultations incur no obligation on your part and all initial consultations are free of charge and do not create an attorney-client relationship. Seeger Weiss LLP has office locations in both New York and New Jersey and its attorneys practice in courts throughout the country.
Link To Lawyer Seek's Lariam Content:
<a href='http://www.lawyerseek.com/Practice/Pharmaceutical-Injury-C1/Lariam-P122/'>Lariam: Lawyer Seek</a> |
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