Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 November 2013
177. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the number of members of the Defence Forces who have been excluded from the usage of lariam following the military authorities' screening process; if he will provide this information, on an annual basis, as far back as the year 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49861/13]
View answerI am advised by the military authorities that a record of someone having been found to be unsuitable to take Lariam is entered into the individual’s medical file. However the information sought is not captured in a readily retrievable manner on the Defence Forces’ Personnel Management System and a search would have to be conducted on every individual member’s medical file in order to ascertain the information sought. This is not practicable within the current resource envelope. The Defence Forces are fully aware of the range of reported side effects attaching to all anti-malarial medications. In accordance with the prescribing instructions and information provided by the Irish Medicines Board the Defence Forces Medical Corps take all necessary precautions in assessing the suitability of personnel before prescribing Lariam. Personnel are screened both before and after deployments and all necessary actions are taken to ensure that those with contraindications to Lariam are not prescribed the medication. I have had the various allegations surrounding the use of Lariam investigated thoroughly and have obtained the advice of leading medical experts, who concur with the prescribing practices followed by the Defence Forces.
Lariam must remain in the formulary of medications prescribed by the Medical Corps for Defence Forces personnel on appropriate overseas missions, particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa, to ensure that our military personnel can have effective protection from the very serious risks posed by this highly dangerous disease.
