A HUSBAND whose wife was taking the controversial drug Seroxat before she killed herself today revealed he is to take legal action against the drug company which makes it.

Marban Ahmed, 34, of Longton Close, Blackburn, found his wife and mother-of-four, Qamar Unnisa Ahmed, hanging from a bannister at her home in September last year.

Mr Ahmed, is one of 4,500 people who have contacted a law firm which is to start a legal action against GlaxoSmithKline, the makers of the anti-depressant drug.

Mr Ahmed said that he would want to see the drug taken off the market if a court case proves it is linked to suicide.

A GlaxoSmithKline spokesman said they had received no contact from the law firm and that there was no compelling evidence linking Seroxat to an increased risk of suicide.

The inquest into Mrs Ahmed's death in December last year heard how she was prescribed Seroxat for post-natal depression after the birth of her fourth child, Aqsa, on May 30.

Mr Ahmed told the hearing how he had seen a Panorama TV programme which suggested the drug was linked to suicide.

Coroner Michael Singleton recorded a verdict that Mrs Ahmed killed herself while the balance of her mind was disturbed.

Mr Ahmed has contacted law firm Hugh James. A partner at the firm said they could launch legal action against GlaxoSmithKline in a matter of months.

Mr Ahmed said: "If there is any successful action we would want compensation and to get rid of the drug altogether."

Mr Ahmed today described how the tragedy had affected his once "very happy young family".

Eight months since the death the family have moved out of the house where the suicide took place.

Mr Ahmed said his eight-year-old twin girls, Romana and Shaibana, had handled the loss as well as could be expected, but four-year-old Sahra, who was with him when he found his wife's body, had been badly affected. Mr Ahmed described the condition of his wife leading up to her death.

He said: "I think she was addicted to the drug, she didn't have it for long, about three weeks. I noticed a change, she wasn't the same, she was very, very different.

"The last few weeks before she died she was down and wouldn't say anything."

Mr Ahmed moved house after the tragedy as he and his family could not bear to be reminded of what happened.

He said: "The children didn't want to live in that house. My young daughter saw her mother hanging from the bannister. We didn't want to live there and had to sell it."

Welsh-based law firm Hugh James has been gathering evidence about the drug with the help of the Seroxat Users Group and have been contacted by more than 4,500 individuals.

Partner Mark Harvey, who is overseeing the case, said: "We are receiving expert opinion on the drug and a letter of claim should be drafted by the summer."

A GlaxoSmithKline spokesman said: "We cannot comment on individual cases. We are aware from the media that Hugh James solicitors are investigating cases but we have had no contact."

He added: "There is no compelling evidence Seroxat or this class of medicines are linked to an increased risk of suicide."

Meanwhile, the Department of Health is continuing with a safety inquiry into reports of adverse effects from the class of drug which includes Seroxat and are currently setting up an expert group to review these reports.

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