Epilim redress scheme would avoid ‘perpetual litigation’
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A redress scheme should be established for the families of children who were affected by in-utero exposure to the anti-epileptic drug sodium valproate (Epilim), a prominent solicitor has said.
Michael Boylan, who secured a €15 million settlement for a 13-year-old boy earlier this month, told The Irish Times that a number of cases are expected to come before the Irish courts this year.
He said: “This really should be dealt with by an admission of responsibility by the State here. There should be a form of redress scheme set up, like the CervicalCheck tribunal. Each family shouldn’t have to go through the litigation process on an individual basis.
“They really should set it up so the stress can be minimised and there can be saving of legal costs as well. Otherwise, there’s going to be perpetual litigation for several years, if not a decade.”
The Irish government announced in 2020 that it would hold an inquiry into the historical licensing and use of Epilim. The terms of reference were agreed late last year and the inquiry is expected to be established this year.
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