Terence Young appears as expert witness Sarah Carlin inquest

Terence Young MP Oakville and Chair of Drug Safety Canada will be appearing as an expert witness at the Inquest into the Death of Sara Carlin on Friday June 18, 2010 at 9:30 am.

Eighteen year old Sara Carlin of Oakville hanged herself in May 1997 after abruptly discontinuing the prescription drug Paxil.

Young, author of Death by Prescription will testify about how the safety of Paxil was the subject of five Health Canada warning letters sent out to every doctor in Canada regarding suicide and discontinuation symptoms, amongst other risks.

"The death of Sara Carlin is eerily similar to the Death of Vanessa Young in 2000," said Young. "Both cases include a blockbuster drug given for an unapproved use; no patient warning of possible deadly adverse effects from several doctors; and the drug had been the subject of numerous safety warnings for the cause of death.

Sadly nothing significant has changed since Vanessa Young died in 2000. With this inquest we have another chance for change."

The Coroner disallowed Drug Safety Canada from becoming party to the Carlin Inquest, and has severely limited the scope of Young's testimony in advance.

"A favourite trick of the drug companies in these cases is to blame the patient for their own death in court. I hope and pray this Coroner allows the jury to hear the true risks of Paxil related suicide, which include suicide warnings right on the label, and hundreds of settled law suits for Paxil related suicide in the U.S."

Young has introduced a Private Member's Bill onto the Order Paper of Parliament that would create a new independent drug agency for Canada that would regulate safety warnings and other safety matters for Canadians using prescription drugs.

For further information or to arrange an interview contact:

Peter Turkington
Communications Manager
Office of Terence Young, MP Oakville
Direct Phone: 905.901.9218
Email: pturkington@stratcommsolutions.ca

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