Didier Jambart, of Nantes, France is
suing UK drug maker GlaxoSmithKline, claiming Requip turned into a
gay sex addict, the AFP reported.
Jambart, who suffers from the nervous
system disorder Parkinson's disease, began taking Requip in 2003.
The 51-year-old
civil servant's lawyers say Jambart became addicted to Internet
gambling and lost his family's savings while taking the drug.
The father of
two claims he became addicted to gay sex and began exposing himself
on the Internet, which eventually led to him being raped.
Lawyers say
Jambart's behavior stopped in 2005 after he stopped taking Requip.
Glaxo is being
sued for 450,000 euros ($610,000) in damages.
The drug's label
warns in part: “You should know that some people who took medications such
as ropinirole developed gambling problems or other intense urges or
behaviors that were compulsive or unusual for them, such as increased
sexual urges or behaviors.”
Jambart's
attorneys say this warning only began appearing in 2006, too late for
their client, who blamed a demotion at his defense ministry job on
his erratic behavior.