FRANCE – A French father of two is taking GlaxoSmithKline to court, alleging the British firm’s drug to treat Parkinson’s disease turned him into a gay sex and gambling addict.
The drug Requip, generic name Ropinirole, is used to treat symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, such as stiffness, tremors, muscle spasms, and poor muscle control. Requip is also used to treat restless legs syndrome.
The man’s lawyers maintain that their client’s behavior changed radically after he was first administered the drug in 2003 for the illness.
Didier Jambart, 51, says he has attempted suicide three times, claims he became addicted to Internet gambling, losing the family’s savings and stealing to feed his habit.
He also became a compulsive gay sex addict and began exposing himself on the Internet and cross-dressing. His risky sexual encounters led to him being raped, his lawyers said.
The behavior stopped when he stopped taking the drug in 2005 but by then he had been demoted in his defense ministry job and was suffering from psychological trauma resulting from his addictions, his lawyers said.
Jambart is seeking a total of $610,000 in damages from Glaxo, who he accuses of selling a “defective” drug, and from his neurologist for having failed to properly inform him about the drug.
His lawyers said that although Requip has been known for years to have undesired side effects, warnings only appeared on its package insert in 2006.
Drugs.com states on its website, “You may have increased sexual urges, unusual urges to gamble, or other intense urges while taking this medication. Talk with your doctor if you believe you have any intense or unusual urges while taking Requip.”
Glaxo said it did not wish to comment on the case.
