Healthy Schoolboy Dies After Taking Acne Pills

A healthy teenager died 12 hours after taking medication for acne, a coroner has said.

Shaun Jones, 14, of Rhydyfelin, near Pontypridd, South Wales, died "of complications" 12 hours after taking the drug Sebomin, Cardiff coroner Mary Hassell said.

The 6ft schoolboy, described as his mother as "vain" about his appearance, had visited the doctor regarding spots on his back and shoulders after learning his friend had been given medication to deal with similar problems.

Shaun, who "excelled at rugby", had previously used a lotion to treat his spots. After being given his prescription, he went to his local pharmacy accompanied by his mother Clare Jones, where they told him the drug was out of stock.

They were told the pharmacist had spoken to the doctor, and he could be given different tablets which were the same as the other medication.

Mrs Jones noticed there was no safety leaflet included in the box, but thought nothing of it at the time.

Shaun took the medication with a glass of water just before going to bed at 10.30pm on October 20 last year.

He soon complained of shortness of breath and tightness in his chest. The 14-year-old was then taken to hospital, when his condition deteriorated, but died at 10.40am the following day.

Recording her narrative verdict, Ms Hassell said Shaun died "as a result of complications of medical treatment".

She said she had researched the case and found no other recorded idiosyncratic deaths involving the tablet anywhere in the world.

"On that basis, this wasn't a one in a million occurrence, it was beyond that," said Ms Hassell.

"Shaun's reaction to it seems to be random and pretty much unique," she said.

The coroner also confirmed she would be writing a report to the Lord Chancellor's office, underlining the importance of doctors prescribing drugs and the correct information being supplied with medication.

(JM/BMcC)