An Oregon Abilify lawsuit may be an option for individuals who developed serious compulsive disorders after taking the medication. Abilify is used to treat people who suffer from schizophrenia and other psychological disorders. It reportedly works differently than other antipsychotic medications, however, Abilify has been linked to serious compulsive disorders, including compulsive gambling. Affected patients and their families may be eligible to pursue a claim and recover damages with the help of an Oregon Abilify lawsuit attorney.
For more information, contact the Attorney Group for Oregon 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 Oregon Abilify lawsuit attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What is Abilify?
Abilify is prescription medication used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and Tourette’s syndrome. In some cases, Abilify may be prescribed to treat irritability related to autism. People who suffer from schizophrenia may experience a number of symptoms, including hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, trouble speaking clearly, and lack of motivation. Abilify may help alleviate some or all of these symptoms.
How Does Abilify Work?
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) prescription information label, the mechanism of action of Abilify in schizophrenia or bipolar mania is unknown. The drug belongs to a class of drugs called second generation antipsychotics (SGA) or atypical antipsychotic and works by rebalancing dopamine and serotonin levels to improve cognition, disposition, and behavior.
Abilify and Compulsive Gambling
In a safety announcement issued by the FDA in May 2016, the agency indicated that it had received over 180 reports of impulse-control disorders, such as compulsive gambling, since Abilify was approved in 2002. Other compulsive disorders included urges to binge eat, shop excessively and have sex. Such urges were reported to have stopped once the drug was discontinued or when the dose was reduced.
Impulse control disorders, or compulsive disorders, are characterized by a failure or difficulty to resist a temptation, urge or impulse that could potentially harm the individual or someone else. When people are affected by compulsive gambling, they cannot stop gambling even when it harms them or their loved ones. Compulsive or pathological gambling can have serious effects on a person’s brain, overall health and economic security.
According to the FDA, compulsive behaviors can affect anyone who is taking Abilify. As a result, the agency is requesting that all patients report any new or increasing urges while being treated with the medication.
Other Abilify Risks and Side Effects
In addition to reported occurrences of compulsive behaviors in patients who are taking Abilify, there are a number of other risks and side effects associated with the drug. According to the FDA, those risks include:
- Increased risk of death in elderly patients who suffer from dementia-related psychosis
- Risk of suicidal thoughts or actions, particularly in some children, teenagers and young adults within the first few months of treatment
- Stroke in elderly people that can lead to death
- Symptoms of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), including high fever; stiff muscles; confusion; sweating; and changes in pulse, heart rate, and blood pressure
- Uncontrolled body movements, causing an inability to move the face, tongue or other body parts
- Problems with metabolism, including high blood sugar and diabetes
- Decreased blood pressure
- Low white blood cell count
- Seizures
- Problems controlling body temperature
- Difficulty swallowing
Common side effects associated with Abilify include nausea, dizziness, vomiting, anxiety, constipation, insomnia, headache, restlessness, blurred vision, and upper respiratory illnesses.
Abilify Lawsuit Claims
Abilify lawsuits have been filed claiming that the drug’s alleged association with compulsive gambling and other compulsive behaviors has resulted in substantial financial, mental, and physical damages to people who have taken the drug. Additionally, lawsuits allege that drug makers Bristol-Myers Squibb and Otsuka Pharmaceutical knew or should have known that Abilify, when taken as prescribed and intended, may cause and contribute to an increased risk of serious and dangerous risks, including compulsive gambling.
How an Oregon 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.
Medioimages/Photodisc/ThinkStockPeople 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 Pursue a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
For more information, contact the Attorney Group for Oregon. 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.
