An Indiana Abilify lawsuit may be an option for people who have developed serious compulsive disorders after taking the medication. Abilify is used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Tourette’s disorder and other mental and mood disorders. It has also been discovered to cause some users to engage in compulsive and addictive behaviors, such as compulsive gambling. Patients and their families who were affected in this way while taking the drug may be able to file an Indiana Abilify lawsuit and seek compensation for their injuries.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Indiana today. Our consultations are free, confidential and without any obligation on your part. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a claim we can connect you with an affiliated Indiana Abilify lawsuit attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What is Abilify?
According to WebMD, Abilify is used to help reduce nervousness, mood swings and negative self-image by affecting neurotransmitters in the brain to balance chemicals. There are several mental and mood disorders that can be treated with Abilify, including the following:
- Schizophrenia: Most patients with schizophrenia don’t realize that they have it until they are diagnosed by a doctor because it causes them to be unable to tell the difference between reality and fantasy. Symptoms include difficulty organizing thoughts, jumpy or repetitive movements, delusions or hallucinations, distraction or the inability to maintain concentration.
- Tourette’s disorder: This disorder is characterized by tics, including movement symptoms like jerking or twitching motions, and vocal abnormalities, like barking, sniffing, grunting, shouting or repeating phrases. While genetics are suspected as a factor, doctors aren’t entirely sure what causes Tourette’s. What is known is that the nervous tics associated with it are more likely to be aggravated by excitement, illness, fatigue or other stress.
- Bipolar disorder: There are many different types of bipolar disorder. While some involve manic episodes to a certain degree, all are characterized by depression as well. Extreme mood swings without warning are the most common symptoms. Episodes of mania and depression can lead to risk of suicide and the inability to make logical decisions.
In addition to treating these conditions, Abilify can be used in combination with other medications to treat depression.
Abilify Side Effects
According to Abilify’s official website, there are several risks that can affect patients while taking this medication. Commonly noted side effects include:
- Raised blood sugar levels
- Lowered blood pressure
- Higher stroke risk in dementia patients
- Seizures
- Difficulty swallowing
- Decreased ability to fight infection
There are also various conditions that can develop with Abilify use, such as tardive dyskinesia, or body movements that are uncontrollable, and neuroleptic malignant syndrome, which can raise the heart rate and blood pressure and can cause a high fever, sweating and confusion.
Abilify Risks
Patients have reported other side effects that were not fully explained on the warning labels for Abilify or by medical professionals prescribing the drug. In May 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning to patients and medical professionals concerning these risks. The issues discovered include several behaviors and actions of a compulsive and uncontrollable nature, including compulsive gambling. A study cited from 2002 noted cases of compulsive behavior among patients after beginning treatment with the drug. Doctors found that the uncontrollable urges did not begin until the patient began using Abilify and also disappeared completely when doses were lowered or use was stopped.
The most common incidents reported that patients taking Abilify engaged in pathological gambling, sometimes resulting in large financial losses. In addition to gambling, there were also reports of the compulsive desire to binge eat, have sex and shop. Patients claimed that these urges were uncontrollable and often caused financial, physical and mental trauma.
Abilify Lawsuit Claims
While claims are currently being filed in U.S. courts, the manufacturers of Abilify have already settled cases in other countries. Patients in Australia reported the same compulsive behaviors after taking drugs similar to Abilify and were able to receive a settlement from parent company Pfizer. Abilify, one of the U.S.’s most prescribed drugs, is reportedly manufactured by Otsuka Pharmaceuticals.
How an Indiana Abilify Lawsuit 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 bad drugs 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 File a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Indiana. You can fill out the form on this page or contact us by phone or email.
After you contact us, an attorney will follow up to answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
