Bob, 60, suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, fibrotic lung disease and diabetes.
When Bob became very ill he was taken by his wife to see his GP. Bob's GP was on holiday, so he had to see his Partner. Unfortunately due to Bob?s illness on the way to the appointment he was late, the Doctor had left the surgery and his wife had to take him to the hospital.
On his return from hospital, Bob was still in considerable pain and his wife rang the surgery to ask for something to help alleviate the discomfort. The Doctor left out a prescription for Vioxx(rofecoxib). Bob?s wife, who was aware of her husband?s frequent reactions to drugs, asked him if it was okay for her husband to have this drug. The GP said it was a rheumatic drug and it was okay.
The pharmacist was unable to read the writing on the prescription, and put the dosage as 1 tablet per day with a recommendation to contact the surgery to confirm. The Receptionist at the surgery checked the position with the doctor who advised the dosage as two tablets per day.
Bob had a tablet in the morning about 10am and later in the afternoon was in quite considerable pain when his wife gave him the second tablet. In the early hours of the morning Bob?s wife found him downstairs. It appeared as if he had had a slight stroke, so she called Casualty at the local hospital who advised her to give him antihistamine.
The next morning Bob was still very ill, and when she called the surgery she was advised to call 999. It appeared that Bob had an anaphylactic reaction to Vioxx(rofecoxib). He died there less than 3 weeks later.
At the time of the prescription, Vioxx (rofecoxib)was not licensed for rheumatoid arthritis. It would be prescribed for osteoarthritis with a commencement dose of one tablet a day.
The drug had been prescribed by the doctor without seeing the patient, inappropriately in view of his use of Methotrexate, and for an unlicensed condition at a high dose.
The Coroner at the Inquest recorded a verdict of accidental death. A clinical negligence claim was pursued against the GP which was settled with an admission of liability. A complaint was made to the General Medical Council whose investigations came to a halt when Dr Chaliha died and was therefore automatically removed from the register.
Had there not been clear evidence of clinical negligence, it is likely that a product liability claim would have been instigated against the suppliers of Vioxx.
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