GPs face drugs probe
Oct 4 2007 by Audrey Barton, The Journal
A TYNESIDE father whose son died after taking a combination of drugs prescribed by his GP is urging people to respond to a Government inquiry into prescription medicine misuse.
Adrian Hervey of Bewick Court, Princess Square, Newcastle lost his son Simon, 28, after he took the tranquillizer diazepam, anti- agitation drug hemineverin, epilepsy drug epilim and painkiller Co- proxamol.
The drugs were prescribed to him by his GP for headaches and depression and his dad believes he died as a result of his 14-year addiction.
Now Mr Hervey, 65, is calling on people to make their voices heard in a government inquiry into the scale and nature of prescription-only and over-the-counter drug misuse.
“The Government has never admitted to this being a problem but now they have by holding this inquiry,” he said.
“So many lives have been ruined by these drugs.
“Simon died sitting up in bed reading a book. He did not commit suicide.
“People should know about this inquiry so they can respond.”
Simon Hervey was first prescribed anti-depressants at the age of 14 to combat years of torment at the hands of school bullies for being gay.
For the next 14 years he fought against severe mood swings – several times attempting to take his own life – until his sudden death in April 1999.
At the inquest, the pathologist confirmed the cause of death was consumption of a cocktail of medication prescribed by the family doctors.
The verdict was left open after Newcastle coroner David Mitford said he was not convinced that Simon had intentionally taken his own life.
His father Mr Hervey has welcomed the inquiry led by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Drug Misuses which ends this month.
He is urging people to write to the APPGDM with their experiences and views in the hope that more will be done to combat the growing problem.
He said: “This inquiry is terrific. The best thing that could have happened.
“These drugs are more addictive than heroin and harder to come off.”
He called for GPs to be held accountable for their prescribing, for more clinics to be set up for people trying to come off prescription drugs and specialists to treat prescription drug addicts.
The APPGDM, a cross- party group of MPs and peers, is taking evidence from the drugs industry, health workers, and the general public until October 12.
Please submit evidence to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Drug Misuses by writing to Dr Brian Iddon MP, Chair, All Party Parliamentary Group on Drug Misuse, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
