Glaxo action settles with £7m payout

THE PERSONAL injury action against pharmaceutical giant Glaxo Laboratories has ended in a £7 million settlement.

More than 400 plaintiffs had accused Glaxo of negligence and claimed its medical dye Myodil had caused them to develop arachnoiditis, an inflammation of a spinal membrane which results in nerve damage and severe back and leg pain.

The plaintiffs alleged that Myodil, which is injected into the spine during scans, had not been tested or developed properly by Glaxo.

They alleged Glaxo had continued to market Myodil beyond the time it should have known the dye was capable of causing injury.

In the High Court last week Daniel Brennan QC, for the plaintiffs, revealed an agreement had been reached with Glaxo, with no admission of liability.

The settlement comes eight years after Myodil was withdrawn from sale and means a trial scheduled for October will no longer go ahead.

Brennan advised the court of the settlement with a statement jointly prepared by the parties. The statement says that the £7 million lump sum will be distributed by the steering committee of the Myodil Solicitors Group and that plaintiffs’ reasonable costs will be paid.

The sum has been apportioned to each plaintiff using a system endorsed by the steering committee and leading counsel.

Of the 426 plaintiffs, 405 have accepted the terms offered, 9 have refused and 12 have yet to be contacted.

Each plaintiff has been advised of the terms of the settlement by a bulletin to each plaintiff’s solicitor with full advice given from leading counsel.