Call for Warnings on Protein Drinks after Death of Ealing Boy
Rohan Godhania died after rare genetic condition triggered
Rohan (second from right) with his family. Picture: Pushpa Godhania
June 29, 2023
A senior coroner has called for health warnings to be added to protein drinks during an inquest into the death of a boy from Ealing.
16-year-old Rohan Godhania died in West Middlesex Hospital on 18 August 2020 and doctors were initially mystified by the cause of the irreversible brain damage that had led to his death.
Even a postmortem failed initially to identify that he was suffering from a rare genetic disease, ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency. This was only determined to be the cause of death by further examination of his donated organs which caused seizure for the recipient over a year later.
It was concluded that a protein load from a protein shake Rohan had taken had triggered a build up of ammonia in his bloodstream to lethal levels which the disease had prevented his system from breaking down.
Speaking at Milton Keynes Coroner's Court, Coroner Tom Osborne said, "Concerning these protein drinks, my preliminary view about them is that I ought to write to one of the regulatory authorities that some sort of warning ought to be put on the packaging of these drinks because, although OTC is a rare condition, it can have harmful effects if someone drinks [one] and it causes a protein spike."
He had earlier heard from Finbar O'Callaghan, professor of paediatric neurology at the Institute of Child Health, University College London, that such warnings could be "potentially life-saving".
Professor O’Callaghan said that Rohan’s life could have been saved if an ammonia test was carried out on admission to West Middlesex Hospital.
The inquest continues but has been postponed for the coroner to consider further legal submissions.
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