Fears anti-psychotic drug could have contributed to death of woman in Tameside Hospital

A coroner has expressed his concerns over the death of a woman from leukaemia who was sectioned under the Mental Health Act at Tameside Hospital.

Sasha Drysdale died in March 2023 at the hospital from acute myeloid leukaemia.

A verdict of natural causes was recorded at the 52-year-old's inquest but Chris Morris, area coroner for Manchester South, fears the anti-psychotic medication Miss Drysdale was receiving for her mental health problems may have contributed to her death.

Some international studies have indicated an increase in blood cancers among patients taking Clozapine, which is often prescribed to people with schizophrenia.

Mr Morris has written to drug companies and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) expressing his concerns.

He said: "The court heard evidence as to a small number of studies conducted internationally which, whilst having small sample sizes, could be read as suggesting an increased incidence of certain forms of blood cancer amongst those taking Clozapine.

"I am concerned that further research is needed to either refute or confirm whether or not taking Clozapine materially increases the risk of a patient developing certain blood cancers."

Clozapine is used to treat severely ill patients with schizophrenia who have used other medicines that did not work well.

It is also used to lower risk of suicidal behaviour in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

Clozapine changes some of the chemicals in the brain that are thought to cause schizophrenia.

Some studies have also suggested the life expectancy of people taking the drug can be reduced by up to 15 years.