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Trial against epilepsy drug manufacturer collapses after legal aid is withdrawn

BMJ 2010; 341 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.c6384 (Published 10 November 2010) Cite this as: BMJ 2010;341:c6384
  1. Clare Dyer
  1. 1BMJ

A High Court action against the multinational drug company Sanofi-Aventis over birth defects in children whose mothers took its anticonvulsant drug sodium valproate (marketed as Epilim) during pregnancy has collapsed just days before trial after legal aid was withdrawn.

The Legal Services Commission for England and Wales is thought to have spent around £3m (€3.5m; $4.8m) over six years funding the case, brought by around 80 families, but has refused funding for the trial, which was due to start on 15 November …

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