An Epsom pub manager says her life could be at risk if her anti-epilepsy drugs are switched to a cheaper version.
Gemma Gould, who is one of the managers of The White Horse, says that a previous switch from branded drugs to a generic one made her very ill, increased her seizures and left her temporarily blind.
Gemma, 27, who has suffered from epilepsy since childhood, has not had a seizure for four years and can now apply for a driving licence.
But she fears that new drug-switching proposals that would see pharmacists dispensing the cheapest versions of drugs could wreck her life.
She has joined the campaign launched by the national charity Epilepsy Action against new regulations due to come into effect in January 2010.
Pharmacists are being told to prescribe generic drugs rather than more expensive branded ones to save money for the NHS. They will be expected to issue the cheaper generic drugs regardless of what is stated on a prescription.
In most cases patients will not notice the difference because the main ingredient in both branded and generic drugs is the same, but there may be a difference in some of the other ingredients.
Epilepsy Action surveyed around 1,500 people with epilepsy. The survey revealed that many people with the condition believe that switching drugs has led to increased seizures and worse side-effects.
Gemma, who has a five-year-old son, Billy, is horrified by the proposed changes.
She said: “I had extremely bad side effects when my medicine was changed. It was almost like my body was shutting down. It was very, very frightening.
“I was told that the medicine was exactly the same as my ordinary one, but it wasn’t – obviously something that was different.
“I would wake up and I would know that my eyes were open but I couldn’t see. It was absolutely terrifying.
“I couldn’t breathe properly, I couldn’t hear – there were days when I couldn’t stand up.”
Her pharmacist now ensures that she gets her regular branded drug rather than a generic one.
Currently, pharmacists must prescribe the exact drug stated on the prescription.
Epilepsy Action’s survey revealed that in the last year almost half (43 per cent) of respondents had been given alternative versions of their usual anti-epileptic drugs. Of these, a quarter (23 per cent) said their epilepsy got worse, with most experiencing an increase in seizures.
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