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Andre Maddock with partner Nadia Jooste and their then 18-month-old son Lucas. Photo: Supplied. Judge Deborah Marshall was not able to confirm a switch to the lamotrigine brand Logem caused the deaths, although could not rule it out as a background factor for two of them. As such no recommendations were made. Arabella Gubay, a patient advocate whose daughter has epilepsy, was furious. "I'm absolutely shocked and heartbroken that the coroner was looking for 100 percent certainty that the brand switch alone had caused these deaths, and in the absence of finding that, she's made no recommendati...

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Maddock’s death was ruled a sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, “on a background of recent brand switch to Logem, insomnia, an increase in the dose of lamotrigine and mild chronic appendicitis”. Coroner Marshall said as there was no clear link between the drug switch and the deaths, she was unable to make any recommendations. She said she accepted the evidence Logem was “fit for purpose”. Maddock’s partner Nadia Jooste was with him when he died at their Torbay home. She said this week she was “disappointed” the coroner had made no recommendations. Nadia Jooste/Supplied M...

But from October 1, 2019, Pharmac funded Logem only, other than in exceptional circumstances. SUPPLIED/Stuff.co.nz William Oliver switched to Logem in April 2019 and died four months later. Multiple families told the coroner they and their loved ones were unaware of, and under-educated about, the brand switch. One doctor learned of the change through reports of his patient's death in the media. Coroner Marshall said evidence provided during the inquest showed advice by Pharmac in relation to the brand switch was sufficient to ensure general practitioners had enough information to provide ...

But Judge Deborah Marshall found Pharmac's communication on the change in medication was "lacking".