An Abilify injury attorney notes that a $19.5 million multistate settlement has been reached with Bristol-Myers Squibb after the drug maker allegedly used improper promotional practices to market the medication. As a result of the agreement, the drug maker is prohibited from marketing and promoting off-label uses of Abilify as well as other unapproved practices. Affected patients and their families may be eligible to file a lawsuit and recover damages with the help of an Abilify lawsuit attorney.
For more information, contact Attorney Group. We offer free, confidential, no obligation consultations. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a case we can connect you with an affiliated Abilify injury attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
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Drug Maker Reportedly Marketed Abilify without Warning Patients of Risks
As a result of allegedly deceptive promotional and marketing campaigns, New York State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced on December 8, 2016, that the maker of Abilify, Bristol-Myers Squibb, reached a multistate agreement totalling $19.5 million with 41 other states and the District of Columbia. The agreement was met as lawsuits continue to be filed alleging that the drug maker wrongfully profited at the expense of patient safety by failing to warn patients of the risks associated with the drug and continuing to market Abilify for off-label uses without adequate testing and scientific data.
In addition to the settlement, Abilify lawsuits allege that the drug maker failed to warn patients about serious health risks associated with the medication, specifically the risk of developing compulsive behaviors, including compulsive gambling, eating, shopping and urges to have sex. Regulatory agencies in both Europe and Canada were already aware of such risks and required warning labels to alert patients of the potential risk of compulsive behaviors related to the use of Abilify, including compulsive gambling. However, no such warning was made available in the U.S. until May 2016 when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added warnings to the drug’s prescription label.
First introduced to the U.S. market in 2002, Abilify is a second-generation antipsychotic prescription drug approved to treat schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder and depression. In some cases, the drug may be used to treat symptoms associated with irritability associated with autistic spectrum disorder. As part of the agreement, and according to the complaint filed by Attorney General Schneiderman, Bristol-Myers Squibb is prohibited from further promoting Abilify for off-label uses as well as other practices inconsistent with the FDA’s approval label.
Although an agreement has been reached concerning the misleading promotion of Abilify, civil lawsuits are still being filed against the drug maker over allegations of the drug’s association with compulsive disorders. Likewise, the outcome of any case is never guaranteed and past results are not necessarily predictive of future outcomes. Affected patients and their families may be able to pursue a claim with the help of an Abilify injury attorney.
How a Abilify Injury Attorney Can Help
Drug makers have a duty to provide safe products. If there are risks of harm associated with their products, they also must provide adequate warnings. If a drug maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
People injured by Abilify may be eligible to recover money for:
- Medical Expenses
- Lost Wages
- Pain and Suffering
The families of those who have died may be eligible to recover money for funeral expenses and the pain that comes with losing a loved one.
The Time You Have to Pursue a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
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