Former soldier (35) sues Minister over health problems allegedly linked to antimalarial drug

A former soldier is pursuing a High Court action against the State alleging he suffered ill-health as a result of being prescribed the antimalarial drug Lariam for his deployment to central Africa.

Jason Squires (35), with an address at St Catherine’s Avenue, Rush, issued proceedings over the alleged mental and physical effects of taking the drug while serving with the Defence Forces during a United Nations peacekeeping deployment to Chad in 2010.

The Minister for Defence denies the claims.

Ciaran Craven SC, instructed by solicitor Dermot McNamara, told the court on Tuesday that the formerly outgoing and relaxed Mr Squires became reclusive and anxious as a result of taking Lariam between January and June in 2010.

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The father continues to suffer neuropsychiatric and other persistent symptoms, and he has been taking anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications, said counsel.

He left the army in October 2010, aged 23, and can only work part-time now as a building surveyor, the court heard.

Counsel said troops were not permitted to participate in the mission to Chad if they were not found fit to take Lariam. He said there were inadequate warnings about the drug’s known side effects and what one should do if side effects occurred.

Mr Squires alleges he has suffered his injuries due to the Minister’s negligence and breach of duty to him.

The Minister’s counsel, Liam Reidy SC, said liability is entirely denied.

Lariam was a “reasonable” antimalarial drug to choose when the other two options had drawbacks, including that they increased the risk of sunburn for white skin and had to be taken more frequently to ensure effectiveness, said counsel.

Mr Reidy said the plaintiff had attended a medical briefing that warned about the “devastating” risks posed by malaria in Chad.

Mr Squires was an adult who volunteered for the overseas mission and had sight of the leaflet warning about the drug’s side effects, said Mr Reidy. There were two Irish medical officers who the plaintiff could have spoken to if he noticed any symptoms, counsel added.

It is the Minister’s defence that Mr Squires did not suffer any symptoms attributable to Lariam while in Chad, but even if he did it was his own fault for not bringing it to the attention of medical staff.

The case before Mr Justice Tony O’Connor is expected to run for a number of weeks.