David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. I also welcome Jake's family, who have campaigned tirelessly. It is not the first time that this issue has arisen. I remember raising a similar matter a number of years ago after a teenager shot himself while he was under the influence of one of these drugs.

We should pause a little as regards the question of culpability and liability. Could this be a wake-up call for doctors? Jake was prescribed Prozac despite the fact that he had Asperger syndrome, which is contra-indicated for the prescription of Prozac. I am not making any accusation against this doctor but, as a matter of principle, if there is medical negligence, then there is medical negligence and there should be recourse through the courts. I have no difficulty in facing that. If someone misprescribes a drug and, as a result, a young person takes his or her life, the person who misprescribed must face the consequences. That is the reality. Jake was 14 years old and in the run-up to his junior certificate examinations when he was prescribed Prozac. Apparently, as a result of this, he became depressed. While he had never before shown any suicidal ideation, he obtained a gun and killed himself. A verdict of suicide might have been returned but for the fact that Jake's parents discovered a note in which he described himself as being drugged out of his mind. No teenager should be put in that situation. This happens not only in Ireland but across the globe. Jake's parents have been in touch with a family in New Zealand whose 17 year old son died by hanging after 17 days on Prozac.

This is an excellent Bill, which I will be supporting. I commend Sinn Féin on its production. The Bill is short, simple and clear, comprising only one page. Even though I taught English, I was not 100% sure what iatrogenic means. Iatrogenic suicide is defined in the Bill as "the ending of one’s own life where the effect of medical treatment undertaken by the deceased, including any prescribed medication, is the primary cause of such an action." Why, in such circumstances, should this verdict not be returned? A verdict of suicide is inappropriate. Where it has been determined that the suicide was the direct result of inappropriate medication, that should be recorded. The recording of a death by iatrogenic suicide should, I believe, be permissible. There may be some details that need to be tidied up but I am sure the Minister and his advisers are capable of coming up with a formula of words that would obviate any difficulties.

I hope that this important Bill, which deals with only a small minority of people but which, for them, is absolutely vital, will be passed by the House.