A CHEPSTOW family whose lives have allegedly been devastated by a prescribed drug have been given the go-ahead from the High Court to seek compensation from its maker.

Pamela Dumayne, 37, of St Ewens Road, Bulwark, says her children's lives have been ruined by her taking the epilepsy drug sodium valproate during pregnancy.

She has spoken to the Free Press to raise awareness among other families who might have been affected by the same drug. All seven of her children suffered either respiratory problems, behavioural problems, or both.

Mrs Dumayne is seeking compensation on behalf of Josh, nine, who has a number of problems, including severe learning and speech difficulties, respiratory problems and delayed development

The families of around a hundred children in the UK have been given the legal go-ahead to fight a court battle against Europe's largest drug manufacturer Sanofi-Synthelabo, which markets sodium valproate under the name of Epilim, used to treat epilepsy.

The cases are being brought under the Consumer Protection Act. The families are not claiming that the manufacturer was negligent in its marketing of the drug. They argue that the drug damaged the children while they were in the womb and are seeking compensation because they have faced extra difficulties and expense due to those injuries. They say pregnant women with epilepsy faced a terrible choice: control their convulsions by taking sodium valproate, which was known to be potentially harmful to an unborn child, or to stop taking it and risk having convulsions, which may have also damaged the baby.

During all seven pregnancies, Mrs Dumayne took Epilim - a drug she has taken since she was 11. It was after her 15-year-old daughter Hannah died last year, following an epileptic fit, that Mrs Dumayne began to ask questions.

"When Hannah died, I got in touch with someone from the epilepsy organisation and, when we talked, there seemed to be a pattern with the children's health issues and behavioural problems. Everything fell in to place," said Mrs Dumayne. "I was devastated. I have had seven babies and two of them have died.

"I'm not trying to put people off taking their medication - if people are epileptic it needs to be treated. I just feel people should be made aware of the risks and the effects that taking the drug during pregnancy can have on their unborn child.

"I was never told, and feel that was a choice that was taken away from me."