A Parkinson's sufferer has won a six figure pay-out against a drug giant
after his medication turned him into a 'gay sex and gambling addict'. Didier
Jambart had been a well-respected man, an upstanding member of the community in
Nantes, western France, and a loving father and husband. But within two years of taking the drug Requip
he was so addicted to both his vices he sold his children's toys to raise money
and advertised himself on the internet for sex. He has now been given £160,000
in damages after a court in Rennes, France, upheld his claims.
With his wife Christine beside him , Mr Jambart, 52, cries as judges uphold his claim that his life had become 'hell' after he started taking a drug to help his Parkinson's
The groundbreaking ruling was made yesterday (Nov. 29) by the appeal
court, which awarded the damages to Mr Jambart from GlaxoSmithKline, the British
pharmaceuticals giant. With his wife Christine beside him, Mr Jambart, 52,
broke down in tears as judges upheld his claim that his life had become 'hell'
after he started taking Requip, a drug made by GSK. He told reporters 'this is a great day' after
the court threw out the firm's appeal against an earlier ruling to award him
117,000 euros.
The father, from Nantes, France, said the drug had turned his life into hell after he sold his children's toys and advertised himself for sex on the internet after taking the drug
The court increased the level of damages to 197,468.83 euros after
finding that there was 'serious, precise and corroborated' evidence to blame
his transformation on Requip. Mr Jambart said: 'It's been a seven-year battle
with our limited means for recognition of the fact that GSK lied to us and
shattered our lives.' He added: 'I am happy that justice has been done. I am
happy for my wife and my children. I am at last going to be able to sleep at
night and profit from life.' But he added that the money he was awarded was not
like winning the lottery, and said: 'This will never replace the years of
pain.' The court heard that Mr Jambart began taking Requip for Parkinson's
disease in 2003.
The court heard Requip, a drug made by GlaxoSmithKline, had turned Mr Jambart into a 'gay sex and gambling addict'
The formerly well-respected bank manager, local councilor and a father
of two from Nantes in western France, had tried to commit suicide eight times
after he turned into a sex-crazed gambling addict. He told the court that he
had emptied his bank account, sold his children's toys and stolen money from
work colleagues, friends and neighbours. In total he gambled away a total of 82,000 euros,
mostly placing internet bets on horse races, and engaged in a 'frantic search
for gay sex'. He began exhibiting
himself on internet websites and arranging encounters, one of which resulted in
him being raped. He said his family had not understood what was going on at
first. But his behaviour returned to normal when he stumbled upon a website
that made the link between Requip and addictions in 2005, and stopped taking
the drug. He said : 'My life was hell. It still is because you cannot forget a
catastrophe like that.'
Mr Jambart outside the courthouse in Rennes, western France, where he was awarded £160,000 in damages
The court heard that warnings about Requip's side-effects had been made
public in 2006. Mr Jambart said that GSK should have informed patients earlier.
He conceded that Requip was a 'good medicine' and offered undeniable solutions
to people with Parkinson's disease. But he said the rules of the game 'must be
transparent'. During the trial,
GlaxoSmithKline had said it had 'serious doubts' that Mr Jambart had developed
his addictions after taking the drug.
ADVICE FROM GLAXOSMITHKLINE FOR PATIENTS TAKING REQUIP
Requip (ropinirole) is a dopamine agonist, used to treat patients with the chronic and progressive neurodegenerative condition Parkinson’s disease, for which, there are only a small number of treatments available.
It directly stimulates dopamine receptors in the brain and acts as a replacement for dopamine which is deficient in certain parts of the brain in patients with Parkinson’s disease.
Pathological gambling and increased libido and hypersexuality have been reported in patients treated with dopamine medicines.
These reports are uncommon, when compared to the number of people treated with these medicines. Prescribing and patient information for Requip provides information on compulsive behaviours.
It’s important that patients talk to their doctor before deciding to stop or start taking any medicine.
Anyone receiving treatment with a dopamine agonist, or caring for someone receiving this treatment, who notices unusual behaviours, such as new or increased gambling urges, increased sexual urges or other intense urges should talk to their doctor.
Daily Mail UK
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