Otsuka Pharmaceuticals is facing serious negligence allegations from patients claiming they developed Abilify gambling addiction. Researchers have recently found that patients may be at serious risk for Abilify gambling addiction, as well as other compulsive behaviors that may result in financial damages.

According to case studies, patients had developed alleged Abilify gambling addiction as well as other addictive behaviors like shopping and hypersexulatiy. One of these case studies was conducted by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), which found that the medication’s treatment mechanism can potentially lead to “severe impulse control disorders.”

Each of these patients reportedly did not have any problems with addictive behaviors before being prescribed Abilify, but had soon developed financial debt soon after starting the medication. Abilify has been reportedly linked to compulsive behavior problems in at least 37 injury reports, as compared to other dopamine receptor agonists.

Abilify works by balancing dopamine and serotonin receptors in the brain, to improve mood and mental processing. When dopamine production is manipulated, patients feel pleasure and reward sensations due to the brain chemical’s role in the brain.

However, this may reduce  behavior inhibitions, as patients no longer have the same sense of caution as they normally would have. Essentially, patients will be encouraged by behaviors like Abilify gambling addiction to prolong the effects.

Critics say Abilify and other dopamine receptor agonist drugs lack adequate warnings regarding compulsive behaviors like gambling or shopping. ISMP researchers state that prominent warnings should be added to the medication labels, based on their data.

Overview of Abilify Compulsive Behavior Problems

Abilify was approved by the FDA in 2002, and was meant to be a treatment method for patients suffering from serious psychotic disorders including: depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and Tourette syndrome.

Soon after its release, Abilify became immensely popular for its unique treatment mechanism and became a top seller for Otsuka Pharmaceuticals and partner Bristol-Myers Squibb.

However, both pharmaceutical companies are facing intense public scrutiny, after reports of Abilify gambling addiction were submitted to the FDA. In addition, numerous medical inquiries have linked the medication to compulsive gambling and other addictive behaviors including compulsive shopping and hypersexuality.

In one recent study, 54 cases of Abilify behavior problems were noted between 2005 and 2013. During this time, the FDA received 32 reports of alleged Abilify gambling addiction. Over the next few years, the FDA continued to receive similar reports including 153 reports of Abilify gambling addiction in 2015.

It has been alleged that these pharmaceutical companies knew of these complications for years, based on European and Canadian health officials requiring Abilify’s warning label to be updated to include potential Abilify gambling addiction.

Pharmaceutical companies have the civil responsibility of warning the general public of all potential side effects associated with their medications, to prevent future injuries.

Otsuka Pharmaceuticals and Bristol Myers Squibb may face potential legal action for allegedly failing to properly warn about Abilify gambling addiction as a potential side effect. Potential claimants should contact a lawyer to determine eligibility for an Abilify lawsuit.