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Punk rocker sues over anti-depressant
1:44pm Tuesday 22nd January 2008
A famed punk rocker claims his life has been ruined by addiction to an anti-depressant drug.
Kirk Brandon, perhaps best known for his time with 1980s legends Spear of Destiny, is the latest in a string of people to claim damages against pharmaceutical giants.
Kirk, who now lives in Lewes, could be headed for a High Court showdown with GlaxoSmithKline UK in a David and Goliath style legal battle in a bid for compensation.
The 51-year-old, now in his third decade of making music, is claiming up to £50,000 following undisclosed personal injuries after taking the widely prescribed anti-depressant drug Seroxat, also known as paroxetine.
The musician made his name as singer and guitarist with Theatre of Hate, before forming the first Spear of Destiny line-up in 1982. Throughout the 1980s the band's albums, including Grapes of Wrath, One Eyed Jacks, and World Service, consistently reached the top 20 and led to them supporting rock giants U2.
In recent years, Kirk, who teaches at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music, has also turned his attention to acoustic performances, forming eclectic super group, Dead Men Walking.
Alongside Kirk Brandon are firm friends in the form of Captain Sensible (The Damned) Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats) and Mike Peters (The Alarm).
Kirk has experienced setbacks in the recent past through illness, but he is currently going through one of his most active periods for many years.
Spear of Destiny are touring at the moment, with UK dates later this month and next, recalling the dark and high powered rock which made them so popular.
But all is not well, and Kirk is the latest in a group of several hundred people who want to sue the drug manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline, claiming their lives have been blighted by addiction to the drug, which was originally marketed as non-addictive.
The pharmaceutical giant is contesting the legal action. A spokesman said: "We believe there is no merit in this litigation. Seroxat has benefited millions of people worldwide who have suffered from depression."
Mr Brandon's solicitor, Mark Harvey, who has been instructed by more than 2,000 claimants in relation to the investigation of claims arising from the Seroxat and Vioxx drugs, and problematic medical devices, said: "All the claimants allege that they tried to withdraw from Seroxat and have suffered discontinuation syndrome."
A World Health Organisation league table of the drugs that have difficulties on withdrawal puts Paroxetine (Seroxat) at the top with twice as many reports as the next highest, another SSRI called Efexor (Venlafaxine). The benzodiazapines Ativan and Valium rate 11th and 13th.
The Government has announced an inquiry into Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibited Drugs, known as SSRI, such as Seroxat and Prozac.
Your Say YourArgus
Compensationitis, Scroungesville says...
3:42pm Tue 22 Jan 08
No wonder he took depressants - fancy finding out you were 10 years out of fashion before you sang your first note.
He must be such as "successful musician" as the Argus says so.
Please then explain why he needs the money?
Oh, "it's not abuot the money" I s'pose, it's about the "broader issues"
Yeah right....
Wally, brighton says...
4:17pm Tue 22 Jan 08
clawback, @ the compo courts says...
4:33pm Tue 22 Jan 08
Dave, Hove says...
4:40pm Tue 22 Jan 08
Bob, Birmingham says...
5:43pm Tue 22 Jan 08
Come on people, you are missing the point here. This is a landmark case here in the UK. Seroxat's makers, GSK, and the Medicine's Licencing Agency (MHRA) have both known for some time that Seroxat can cause far more side effects than what is actually printed on the patient information leaflet... or do you all side with Pharma?
Paul, worthng says...
8:25pm Tue 22 Jan 08
jo, haywards heath says...
9:36pm Tue 22 Jan 08
Ian Westmore, Andorra says...
11:52pm Tue 22 Jan 08
Hirschowitz and Lanas (1998) found that of 30 consecutive patients he'd operated on to repair aspirin damage to the gastro intestinal tract:
27 continued abusing aspirin
16 required additional surgery
13 of the 16 still abused aspirin after the second surgery
8 patients required surgery a third time because of continued abuse
In total, 4 died as a direct result of thewir continued abuse.
ac, says...
4:24pm Wed 23 Jan 08
Bob, says...
9:44pm Wed 23 Jan 08
But i fail to see how is life was ruined by addiction to an anti depressant, get your GP to refer you to rehab work yourself clean. Any idiot knows mnay drugs are addictive if taken long enough.
Sounds to me this bloke is just doing a Lesley Ash- suing to make up for a failed career.
Celine, Brighton says...
10:11am Thu 24 Jan 08
Spiff, PT says...
11:45pm Thu 24 Jan 08
truth, UK says...
11:43pm Fri 25 Jan 08
Bob wrote:Bob (Mr Fiddaman) is a client of Mark Harvey at Hugh James Solicitors & as such has a vested interest in the promotion & outcome of this litigation
Quite surprised to see some of the comments here. Based on what the majority of you are saying would it be right to assume that Seroxat can only be deemed defective if a financially poor person takes it? Come on people, you are missing the point here. This is a landmark case here in the UK. Seroxat\'s makers, GSK, and the Medicine\'s Licencing Agency (MHRA) have both known for some time that Seroxat can cause far more side effects than what is actually printed on the patient information leaflet... or do you all side with Pharma?
Ian Mac, Glasgow says...
2:51pm Tue 29 Jan 08
You post under the name 'Truth'......but is it not TRUE TO SAY that YOU are associated with GSK and are thus trawling about the internet in an attempt to muddy ALL who are involved in this litigation?
So what if Bob is 'backing up' what mr Brandon is doing - after all, for YEARS the likes of GSK, MHRA and others have HIDDEN, COVERED UP and LIED about the likes of Seroxat, all so they can make MILLIONS of pounds, while their 'medicines' wrecked misery upon many it was suppossed to help.
so to 'Truth' or ANY of the short-sighted, ignorant and uninformed who think mr brandon, bob (fiddaman) or others are doing this for the money, or those who think its big and clever to make fun and insult those involved in this litigation (or indeed ANYONE who has suffered at the hands of these EVIL drugs), then hell mend the lot of you.
This is a litigation that is designed to expose GSK, MHRA etc and ensure that likes of seroxat DO ruin peoples lives.
So, 'Truth', the Truth Is Out.
quoro, uk says...
11:12pm Mon 4 Feb 08
nicola mckenna, liverpool says...
1:30pm Thu 7 Feb 08
Ignorance is bliss!!
Oh yeah right this man just made all this up along with thousands of other people just to raise cash?
Not to mention the people alredy compensated in America.
shabbex, germany says...
10:17pm Fri 8 Feb 08
Irishblood, Dublin says...
12:57am Fri 22 Feb 08
And it should never have been licenced.. Period..
GSK hid data for 15 years indicating Seroxat aggression, suicide etc..
This info has recently been unsealed in an american paxil-seroxat suicide case.. (google it)
to those who think people sue for financial gain..
When a product or drug is defective and it ruins your life..
And the makers, GSK lie about its efficacy .. People have every right to bring them to justice, it is no different than any other criminal trial..
The seroxat scandal should be a wake up call for everyone..
Corporations murder and main every day for profit..
People have a right to stand up!!!
SUZANNE MARLBOROUGH, Clevedon Somerset says...
10:28am Thu 12 Jun 08
Always has always will.
I wish him well.
I have met him a few times & he is a good man.
Val Sizemore, California says...
7:34pm Wed 2 Jul 08
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Dave, Wivelsfield says...
2:55pm Tue 22 Jan 08
Poor old chap, all that sex drugs and rock and roll and now he wants someone to top up the old bank balance!!
Great story!! Should make this into a film, it could be shown in the advert break.