Mum Plea For Inquiry Over Drug Linked To Birth Defect

3 children exposed to epilepsy medicine Campaigner in call for State to apologise

- Trevor Quinn

The mum of three sons born with serious birth defects linked to an epilepsy drug yesterday called for an independent inquiry and a State apology.

Karen Keely’s adult children are now in their 20s and 30s and two of them require ongoing care after they were exposed to valproate.

The HSE estimates around 1,250 children here suffered developmental disorders between 1975 and 2015, while 3,100 were potentially exposed to the drug.

Many pregnant mums were never made aware of the risks associated with sodium valproate or epilim as it is also commonly called.

Karen, the chair of the Organisation for Anti-Convulsant Syndrome, said: “I set up the organisation because I needed to find families because I felt so alone and there was nobody to talk to. I needed to talk to another mother.

“We have to look into our children’s eyes, every single day.