Aripiprazole, marketed under the brand name Abilify, has been prescribed around the world to treat mood disorders. In fact, with tens of thousands of prescriptions written every year, odds are that a number of patients in Ohio may have taken the drug. Complaints about the medication have been emerging slowly over the last decade, and now, pharmaceutical litigation surrounding Abilify has grown to nearly 200 lawsuits.
Abilify is manufactured and sold by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. The medication is used in the treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression. However, according to the FDA, the drug brings with it a host of side effects for uncontrollable urges brought on by its actions as a partial dopamine-agonist. This means that activities such as shopping, gambling, binge-eating or sex result in an intense surge of chemical pleasure that quickly leads to addiction.
As early as 2005, the FDA began receiving reports of problems with compulsive behavior in patients taking the medication. As years passed, complaints continued to surface, yet despite the growing evidence, attorneys allege that the drug’s manufacturers failed to conduct studies into the matter. Even after the link seemed clear, the companies continued to aggressively market Abilify.
While warnings about these side effects were added to drug labels in other countries as early as 2012, similar warnings were not added to U.S. labels until 2016. Complaints allege that multiple patients lost thousands of dollars gambling or shopping, while others engaged in risky and uncontrollable behavior, yet the company responsible for manufacturing and marketing the drug did not investigate or try to warn patients. Residents of Ohio who were negatively affected by this or any other prescription medication may benefit from exploring their rights with attorneys experienced in pharmaceutical litigation.
Source: dailyhornet.com, “Master Complaint in Abilify MDL“, Elizabeth Bradley, June 9, 2017
