Six years after Brit Alana Cutland leapt to her death from plane, fury as common drug STILL missing ‘suicide' warning
Alana Cutland, 19, fell 5,00ft into thick jungle during a dream trip researching rare blue crabs in Madagascar in July 2019.
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The teenager, from Milton Keynes, cut short her six-week research trip after suffering psychosis and hallucinations understood to be caused by anti-malaria drug doxycycline.
At an inquest into her death in August 2020, Milton Keynes coroner Tom Osborne said Alana had 'suffered a psychotic delirium event that led to her behaviour and death'.
He added that it was 'quite apparent' that the reaction was caused by the drug - warning there was 'nothing on the drug information leaflet that either highlights or mentions this possibility'.
Mr Osborne asked for a review into the information sent out to patients prescribed doxycycline.
He added: 'If she or her parents have been aware of this possible side-effect they may have been able to intervene earlier to avoid her death.'
And six years on from his stark warning, the information leaflet - seen by The Sun - still fails to mention the potential side effect, sparking fresh fury.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has insisted, however, that a "number of reviews" have established "no causal link" between doxycycline and psychiatric adverse reactions.
But Professor David Healy, the expert witness commissioned by the Coroner for Alana's inquest, said there are "hundreds of compelling case reports of doxycycline causing suicide".
He told The Sun: "What we need to remember is that MHRA are a bureaucracy - like the aviation authorities.
"They licence paperwork that Boeing or pharma companies send in to them but they aren't engineers or pharmacologists and don't fly planes or monitor what happens to patients on meds.
"They have no training in working out how to establish a link between a drug and a problem.
"It's pilots and doctors who keep us safe - or used to keep us safe.
"Pilots still do because they have an incentive to do so - if we don't make it to wherever alive, they don't either so if a door blows off a plane, they won't fly again till the problem - not just that door is fixed.
"But doctors don't have the same incentive.
"If you claim a problem has happened on a drug they gave you, they are now more likely to throw you out through the open door for spreading misinformation than take your side and insist drug labels mention this problem."
Professor Healy said experts know "how and why" doxycycline causes suicide and epidemiological studies.
He added: "Doctors who go by drug labels rather than what is happening to the person right in front of them kill patients like Tom Kingston recently and Alana Cutland and others."
Alana died on July 25, 2019, when she broke open the door of a small aircraft after fighting off the shocked pilot and researcher Ruth Johnson, who was escorting her back to the UK.
4
4
The student had been taking doxycycline before her death – an antibiotic that kills bacteria in the body and is prescribed by a GP.
Her devastated parents Neil and Alison previously said it was 'tragic' that their daughter's death was 'essentially caused by the side effects of doxycycline'.
They said: 'We realise that such drugs have an important role to play, but it shocked us to discover that such a severe side effect could be virtually undocumented.'
Doxycycline, which is prescribed to treat bacterial infections, has been authorised as an anti-malaria drug for more than 50 years.
It is taken orally every 12 hours, with prescriptions normally starting before somebody travels to a country exposed to high-risk of malaria.
In a case report published in leading medical journal The BMJ in 2019, three young people with no history of mental illness were treated for skin conditions with doxycycline.
All three developed 'suicidal ideation' with an outcome of suicide in two of the cases, the report says.
Emily Darlington, MP for Milton Keynes Central, told The Sun: 'My heart goes out to Alana's friends and family.
"I am urging the Department of Health to read the coroner's report and consider what changes should be made as a consequence of their recommendations.'
What is doxycyline?
DOXYCYCLINE is prescribed by GPs to treat bacterial infections.
It works by inhibiting protein synthesis in bacteria - meaning it stops bacteria from reproducing rather than killing them outright, giving the body's immune system a better chance to fight off the infection.
The drug is prescribed for conditions including malaria, skin, dental and urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted infectins as well as lyme disease.
It is also used to combat acne, rosacea and other conditions such as cholera, typhus and anthrax.
Side effects include headaches, nausea and vomiting, and an increased sensitivity to sunlight.
More serious and rare side effects include allergic reactions, increased pressure around the brain and permanent tooth discolouration in young children.
The drug is usually taken by adults and children over 12 years old.
Following multiple studies in the UK and globally, a comprehensive review of all reported psychiatric events linked to the drug doxycycline was conducted by the Commission on Human Medicines.
No causal link between the drug nd psychiatric adverse reactions like acute psychosis, hallucinations, or suicidality was found, according to the review.
Last year, an EMA study of real-world data also supported these findings.
In 2020, a scientific consensus report was published by the US National Academies that said: "Based on the available evidence, the committee concludes that there is insufficient or inadequate evidence of an association between the use of doxycycline for malaria prophylaxis and persistent or latent psychiatric events.
"Current evidence does not suggest further study of such an association is warranted, given the lack of evidence regarding biologic plausibility."
The MHRA has vowed to continue to "closely monitor reports", however, and said it is "considering if further additional studies into this area are required".
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer, told The Sun: 'Patient safety is our top priority.
'Our thoughts remain with Alana Cutland's family following her tragic death.
'A number of reviews into the suspected association between doxycycline and psychiatric events have been conducted both in the UK and globally.
"These reviews have consistently not been able to establish a causal link.
"However, we continue to keep this issue under close review and will take regulatory action if new evidence emerges that changes the balance of benefits and risks.'
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The Sun
21 hours ago
- The Sun
Six years after Brit Alana Cutland leapt to her death from plane, fury as common drug STILL missing ‘suicide' warning
A PRESCRIPTION drug a teenager took before jumping to her death from a plane while suffering a "psychotic event" still does not list the potential side effect. Alana Cutland, 19, fell 5,00ft into thick jungle during a dream trip researching rare blue crabs in Madagascar in July 2019. 4 4 The teenager, from Milton Keynes, cut short her six-week research trip after suffering psychosis and hallucinations understood to be caused by anti-malaria drug doxycycline. At an inquest into her death in August 2020, Milton Keynes coroner Tom Osborne said Alana had 'suffered a psychotic delirium event that led to her behaviour and death'. He added that it was 'quite apparent' that the reaction was caused by the drug - warning there was 'nothing on the drug information leaflet that either highlights or mentions this possibility'. Mr Osborne asked for a review into the information sent out to patients prescribed doxycycline. He added: 'If she or her parents have been aware of this possible side-effect they may have been able to intervene earlier to avoid her death.' And six years on from his stark warning, the information leaflet - seen by The Sun - still fails to mention the potential side effect, sparking fresh fury. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has insisted, however, that a "number of reviews" have established "no causal link" between doxycycline and psychiatric adverse reactions. But Professor David Healy, the expert witness commissioned by the Coroner for Alana's inquest, said there are "hundreds of compelling case reports of doxycycline causing suicide". He told The Sun: "What we need to remember is that MHRA are a bureaucracy - like the aviation authorities. "They licence paperwork that Boeing or pharma companies send in to them but they aren't engineers or pharmacologists and don't fly planes or monitor what happens to patients on meds. "They have no training in working out how to establish a link between a drug and a problem. "It's pilots and doctors who keep us safe - or used to keep us safe. "Pilots still do because they have an incentive to do so - if we don't make it to wherever alive, they don't either so if a door blows off a plane, they won't fly again till the problem - not just that door is fixed. "But doctors don't have the same incentive. "If you claim a problem has happened on a drug they gave you, they are now more likely to throw you out through the open door for spreading misinformation than take your side and insist drug labels mention this problem." Professor Healy said experts know "how and why" doxycycline causes suicide and epidemiological studies. He added: "Doctors who go by drug labels rather than what is happening to the person right in front of them kill patients like Tom Kingston recently and Alana Cutland and others." Alana died on July 25, 2019, when she broke open the door of a small aircraft after fighting off the shocked pilot and researcher Ruth Johnson, who was escorting her back to the UK. 4 4 The student had been taking doxycycline before her death – an antibiotic that kills bacteria in the body and is prescribed by a GP. Her devastated parents Neil and Alison previously said it was 'tragic' that their daughter's death was 'essentially caused by the side effects of doxycycline'. They said: 'We realise that such drugs have an important role to play, but it shocked us to discover that such a severe side effect could be virtually undocumented.' Doxycycline, which is prescribed to treat bacterial infections, has been authorised as an anti-malaria drug for more than 50 years. It is taken orally every 12 hours, with prescriptions normally starting before somebody travels to a country exposed to high-risk of malaria. In a case report published in leading medical journal The BMJ in 2019, three young people with no history of mental illness were treated for skin conditions with doxycycline. All three developed 'suicidal ideation' with an outcome of suicide in two of the cases, the report says. Emily Darlington, MP for Milton Keynes Central, told The Sun: 'My heart goes out to Alana's friends and family. "I am urging the Department of Health to read the coroner's report and consider what changes should be made as a consequence of their recommendations.' What is doxycyline? DOXYCYCLINE is prescribed by GPs to treat bacterial infections. It works by inhibiting protein synthesis in bacteria - meaning it stops bacteria from reproducing rather than killing them outright, giving the body's immune system a better chance to fight off the infection. The drug is prescribed for conditions including malaria, skin, dental and urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted infectins as well as lyme disease. It is also used to combat acne, rosacea and other conditions such as cholera, typhus and anthrax. Side effects include headaches, nausea and vomiting, and an increased sensitivity to sunlight. More serious and rare side effects include allergic reactions, increased pressure around the brain and permanent tooth discolouration in young children. The drug is usually taken by adults and children over 12 years old. Following multiple studies in the UK and globally, a comprehensive review of all reported psychiatric events linked to the drug doxycycline was conducted by the Commission on Human Medicines. No causal link between the drug nd psychiatric adverse reactions like acute psychosis, hallucinations, or suicidality was found, according to the review. Last year, an EMA study of real-world data also supported these findings. In 2020, a scientific consensus report was published by the US National Academies that said: "Based on the available evidence, the committee concludes that there is insufficient or inadequate evidence of an association between the use of doxycycline for malaria prophylaxis and persistent or latent psychiatric events. "Current evidence does not suggest further study of such an association is warranted, given the lack of evidence regarding biologic plausibility." The MHRA has vowed to continue to "closely monitor reports", however, and said it is "considering if further additional studies into this area are required". Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer, told The Sun: 'Patient safety is our top priority. 'Our thoughts remain with Alana Cutland's family following her tragic death. 'A number of reviews into the suspected association between doxycycline and psychiatric events have been conducted both in the UK and globally. "These reviews have consistently not been able to establish a causal link. "However, we continue to keep this issue under close review and will take regulatory action if new evidence emerges that changes the balance of benefits and risks.'
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Senegal's ‘schools for husbands' aim to shift gender roles and keep mothers from dying
On a recent evening in Senegal 's capital of Dakar, an imam named Ibrahima Diane explained to a group of men why they should be more involved in household chores. 'The Prophet himself says a man who does not help support his wife and children is not a good Muslim,' the 53-year-old said, as he described bathing his baby and helping his wife with other duties. Some of the 14 men chuckled, not quite sold. Others applauded. Diane was taking part in a 'school for husbands,' a United Nations-backed initiative where respected male community members learn about 'positive masculinity' in health and social issues and promote them in their communities. In Senegal, as in many other West African countries with large rural or conservative populations, men often have the final say in major household decisions, including ones related to health. Women may need their permission for life-changing decisions on accessing family planning or other reproductive health services, along with hospital deliveries or prenatal care. Following his sessions at the school for husbands, Diane regularly holds sermons during Friday prayers where he discusses issues around gender and reproductive health, from gender-based violence to fighting stigma around HIV. 'Many women appreciate my sermons," he said. 'They say their husbands' behavior changed since they attended them." He said some men have told him the sermons inspired them to become more caring husbands and fathers. Habib Diallo, a 60-year-old former army commando, said attending the sermons and discussions with the imam taught him about the risks of home births. 'When my son's wife was pregnant, I encouraged him to take her to the hospital for the delivery,' Diallo said. 'At first, he was hesitant. He worried about the cost and didn't trust the hospital. But when I explained how much safer it would be for both his wife and the baby, he agreed.' No more barking orders The program launched in Senegal in 2011 but in recent years has caught the attention of the Ministry of Women, Family, Gender and Child Protection, which sees it an effective strategy to combat maternal and infant mortality. 'Without men's involvement, attitudes around maternal health won't change," said 54-year-old Aida Diouf, a female health worker who collaborates with the program. Many husbands prefer their wives not be treated by male health workers, she said. The classes for husbands follow similar efforts in other African countries, particularly Niger, Togo, and Burkina Faso, where the United Nations Population Fund says it improved women's access to reproductive health services by increasing male involvement, growing the use of contraceptives by both men and women and expanding access to prenatal care and skilled birth attendants. Discussions for men also have focused on girls' rights, equality and the harmful effects of female genital mutilation. The program now operates over 20 schools in Senegal, and over 300 men have been trained. In some communities, men who once enforced patriarchal norms now promote gender equality, which has led to a reduction in the number of forced marriages and more acceptance of family planning, according to Senegal's ministry of gender. Men join the groups after being recruited based on trust, leadership and commitment. Candidates must be married, respected locally and supportive of women's health and rights. After training, the men act as peer educators, visiting homes and hosting informal talks. 'My husband used to not do much around the house, just bark orders. Now he actually cooks and helps out with daily tasks,' said Khary Ndeye, 52. Still too many dying in childbirth While maternal and infant deaths in Senegal have declined over the past decade, experts say it still has a long way to go. It recorded 237 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births in 2023, while 21 newborns out of every 1,000 died within their first month. The U.N. globally wants to reduce maternal deaths to 70 deaths per 100,000 live births and newborn deaths to under 12 per 1,000 by 2030. One key problem was that many women have been giving birth at home, said El Hadj Malick, one of the Senegal program's coordinators. 'By educating men about the importance of supporting their wives during pregnancy, taking them to the hospital and helping with domestic work at home, you're protecting people's health,' Malick said. He said he still experiences difficulty changing mindsets on some issues. 'When we just talk to them about gender, there is sometimes tension because it's seen as something abstract or even foreign,' Malick said. Some men mistakenly believe such talk will promote LGBTQ+ issues, which remain largely taboo in much of West Africa. "But when we focus on women's right to be healthy, it puts a human face on the concept and its becomes universal,' Malick said. ___ ___ The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Daily Mail
a day ago
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Surge in cannabis-induced psychotic episodes across the UK as potency of strains has increased
Cannabis-induced psychosis is becoming increasingly common across the UK, a leading psychiatrist has warned. The widely used class B drug – also known as marijuana or weed – can cause dependency, and, in the year to March 2024, 2.3million people in the UK reported using it. But while regular use has more than halved in the past two decades, the number of cannabis-induced psychosis episodes has spiked as varieties on sale have become stronger. Those experiencing a psychotic episode commonly have symptoms such as hallucinations, dissociation or unusual changes in behaviour. And while these resolve in most cases, side-effects can last for years. Studies show cannabis can even trigger schizophrenia – a chronic mental health condition characterised by psychotic episodes where individuals lose touch with reality, experiencing delusions and hallucinations. Dr Niall Campbell, a consultant psychiatrist at the Priory rehabilitation centre, warns of a deepening public health issue, stemming from easy online access to highly potent forms of the drug known as 'skunk'. Made from unpollinated cannabis plants which naturally contain higher levels of THC – the main psychoactive ingredient – skunk greatly increases the risk of paranoia and hallucinations. 'There has been a visible rise in the number of people needing intensive support for psychosis as a result of cannabis use,' said Dr Campbell. 'I don't think this is surprising given how easy skunk is to buy. What begins with smoking a few 'joints' and feeling a bit paranoid can easily escalate. Over time people can reach a psychotic state which won't go away, even if they stop smoking – they can become very depressed or suicidal.' It comes after the London Drugs Commission released a report earlier this year calling for more services to tackle cannabis addiction.
