20 Dec 2019

More pressure on Pharmac after fifth death linked to drug switch

From Checkpoint, 5:08 pm on 20 December 2019

There's more pressure on Pharmac with another death possibly linked to the drug-funding agency's decision to switch brands of epilepsy drugs.

It is the fifth fatality reported to the Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring since the change to the generic Logem brand of lamotrigine.

It has prompted the government agency responsible for regulating medicines to issue updated advice to patients using the drug.

Lisa Owen asked RNZ In Depth investigative reporter Guyon Espiner what he knows about the latest death.