Nursery nurse killed herself after developing narcolepsy ‘most likely’ caused by swine flu vaccine
Family says the condition 'turned her life into a terrible daily struggle'
A NURSERY nurse who jumped to her death from the top of a multi-storey car park had “most likely” developed the sleep disorder narcolepsy after receiving a swine flu vaccination, a coroner has said.
Katie Clack, 23, became depressed after developing the disorder, which saw her sleep for up to 19 hours a day.
A statement from her family said: "Katie was an energetic young woman who had just discovered her passion working with children.
"Narcolepsy turned her life into a terrible daily struggle and drastically reduced her quality of life.
"We cannot believe she would have decided to take her own life had the balance of her mind not been disturbed."
Ms Clack developed the condition in 2009 and jumped to her death, in Peterborough, in September 2014.
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An inquest into her death heard the Peterborough woman had not wanted the vaccination, but was required to have it for her job.
Recording a narrative verdict Paul Cooper, acting senior coroner for South Lincolnshire, said studies had shown the Pandemrix vaccine “significantly raised odds” off developing narcolepsy, in those aged 18 and above.
He said: "On the available evidence on the association between vaccination with Pandemrix and onset of narcolepsy it seems most likely that receipt of this vaccine in December 2009 caused Ms Clack's narcolepsy."
He added that narcolepsy triggers depression, though he noted the case of Ms Clack was "complex and very rare".
Ms Clack's family is represented by Peter Todd and Freya Colvin, of law firm Hodge Jones & Allen.
Ms Colvin added: "The Clack family has waited a long time for this inquest.
"It is important that the coroner has recognised the causal link between the vaccine and narcolepsy and the devastating impact this had on Katie's short life."
Earlier this year a boy who developed the sleeping disorder after receiving the swine flu vaccine was awarded £120,000 in damages.
Josh Hadfield, 10, from Frome in Somerset, developed narcolepsy after receiving the Pandemrix vaccine, six years ago.
In 2013, lawyers launched a class action on behalf of 38 Britons - including 19 children - who developed narcolepsy after having the vaccine.
Figures from the Health Protection Agency have suggested that one in 55,000 children vaccinated - about 20 in the UK - are thought to have developed narcolepsy.
Narcolepsy is a rare but serious neurological disorder that affects about 31,000 people in Britain.
The condition can cause massive disruption to sleep and daily life.