Abilify reviews by consumers suggest concerns regarding adverse Abilify side effects associated with taking the medication.

Attorneys are currently investigating whether Abilify manufacturers violated consumer protection laws by failing to disclose whether the medication increases the risk of developing compulsive behaviors like compulsive shopping and gambling addiction.

What is Abilify?

Abilify is a popular antipsychotic prescribed by medical professionals to treat patients who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and manic depression.

Abilify is generically known as aripiprazole, and manufactured and marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company.  The medication first received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration back in 2002.

Abilify is a worldwide top grossing medication.  The sale from prescriptions gross over $6.8 million annually and over 8.7 million prescriptions are written each year.  Abilify is known as a second generation antipsychotic and it works differently than more traditional medications.

Second generation antipsychotics work by affecting dopamine and serotonin receptors.  First generation antipsychotics only target dopamine receptors and carry different risks for neurological side effects.

Abilify works by keeping dopamine and serotonin levels in balance while more traditional medications just block dopamine levels.  Unfortunately, some patients have experienced adverse abilify side effects after taking the medication.

Abilify Side Effects

Abilify reviews have suggested patients may experience compulsive behaviors and pathological symptoms such as compulsive shopping and gambling addiction.

A study from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices found that medications that activate dopamine receptors can lead to impulse disorders.

For many people these impulse disorders will disappear once the patient discontinues taking the medication.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for the feelings of pleasure.  When the hormone is released in the body the pleasurable feeling encourages the person to continue doing whatever activity is causing the high.

Compulsive behaviors can have severe and negative effects on a person’s life.  Men and women can have their lives turned around and fall into deep debt due to compulsive shopping and gambling addiction.  The addiction and need to make the pleasurable feeling continue can make people overspend without regard to their budget or actual available funds.

Abilfy Lawsuits

Consumer protection attorneys are looking to help potential plaintiffs who have suffered adverse Abilify side effects bring lawsuits against the manufacturers. Allegations against the company will likely allege claims for failure to warn, negligence, misrepresentation, and product liability defects. 

Pharmaceutical companies are required to disclose potential side effects associated with their medications. Consumers who are harmed by a company’s failure to disclose side effects may be able to recover compensation for their injuries.

Successful lawsuits may compensate for a patient’s pain and suffering as well as any treatments they need to resolve their gambling addiction and compulsive shopping.

Bringing a lawsuit can be a big decision but lawyers can assist potential plaintiffs in determining whether or not bringing a lawsuit is right for them.

Lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies can also serve to help hold these businesses accountable to consumers and punish companies for their mistakes.