The Irish government has launched an investigation into how an epilepsy medication that can cause serious birth defects has been prescribed to women over the years, giving affected families a chance to finally tell their stories.
Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill announced today that a formal inquiry will examine sodium valproate, a drug used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder that can cause physical disabilities, developmental delays and autism in children when taken during pregnancy.
The inquiry, led by barrister Bríd O’Flaherty, will investigate decades of prescribing practices and give families affected by the drug a platform to share their experiences.
Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill:
“I welcome the commencement of the Inquiry, which will give those directly affected by sodium valproate an opportunity to have their voices heard. I was grateful to meet with Organisation Anticonvulsant Syndromes Ireland recently and I know this is an important day for them and the families they represent.”
The investigation will work in three parts. First, it will piece together a timeline of how the drug has been used in Ireland, looking at when authorities knew about the risks and what warnings were given to women. The inquiry can request documents from hospitals, regulators and drug companies, and will note if anyone refuses to cooperate.
Second, and perhaps most importantly, mothers whose children were affected and the children themselves can give private testimonies about their experiences. This gives families who have lived with the consequences a chance to have their stories officially recorded.
Third, the inquiry will examine whether Ireland’s health service is now properly equipped to prevent similar problems with epilepsy medications in the future. It will look at current safety systems and recommend improvements.
A public awareness campaign will begin in the coming weeks to ensure affected families know about the inquiry and how to participate.
While sodium valproate remains an important treatment for some patients, the drug poses serious risks during pregnancy. Women currently taking the medication should not stop without speaking to their doctor first, as suddenly stopping epilepsy or bipolar medication can be dangerous for both mother and baby.
The inquiry represents a significant step for families who have long sought answers about why warnings about this drug’s risks weren’t communicated more effectively to women who could become pregnant.
For more information about participating in the inquiry, visit svinquiry.ie.
Government launches inquiry into epilepsy drug linked to birth defects, giving affected Irish families chance to be heard