Bristol Myers Squibb and Otsuka Pharmaceuticals are facing a growing multidistrict litigation (MDL), consisting of claims from patients alleging they developed a gambling addiction and other compulsive behavior.

One of the most recent claims comes from a Colorado woman alleging she developed a gambling addiction as a direct result of the companies’ antipsychotic medication.

Plaintiff Erika L. is filing this Abilify lawsuit, alleging the companies failed to warn her and other patients that they could develop gambling addiction or other compulsive behaviors from the medication.

It is important to note that before beginning her Abilify prescription, Erika says she had no prior behavior problems with gambling or excessive spending habits. Like numerous other patients, Erika had been prescribed Abilify to treat her mental disorder and this medication was recommended to her by her physician.

Her physician allegedly reviewed marketing materials provided by the company, which explained that Abilify’s treatment mechanism is less severe than traditional antipsychotics with the focus being on balancing serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain.

With these benefits in mind, Erika says she started her Abilify prescription in September 2009 and is still on the medication to this day. However, during the course of her treatment, Erika had reportedly lost over $10,000 due to gambling addiction and has sustained severe emotional distress and loss of financial stability.

At all times relevant, Erika says she took her Abilify doses according to prescription instructions and followed all advice from her physician. Even with this diligence, Erika claims she still developed an unexpected gambling addiction and is still contending with the financial damages.

Overview of Abilify Complications

Abilify (aripiprazole) was approved by the FDA in 2002, to be a treatment drug for adult patients suffering from a variety of psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Abilify works by balancing the levels of serotonin and dopamine in the brain, which is the chemical responsible for pleasure and reward sensations. Later on, Abilify’s successor, Rexulti, was released and works with a similar mechanism of action.

This is because the feelings of pleasure encourage patients to continue high-risk activities, in order to make the high last as long as possible. According to a recent study by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), medications that manipulate dopamine levels could induce “severe impulse control disorders.”

While Abilify was not included in that study for being only a partial dopamine receptor, researchers believe this drug could also cause gambling addiction in patients with compulsive behaviors indicated in at least 37 Abilify injury reports. Even though these Abilify complications can be financially devastating to patients, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals and Bristol Myers Squibb allegedly failed to adequately warn patients about these problems.

Erika’s Abilify lawsuit is joining MDL No. 2734, where it will stand alongside other claims alleging similar cases of gambling addiction and other compulsive behaviors. By joining an MDL, Erika’s claim will be streamlined through the litigation process and will avoid potential problems like running into conflicting rulings from different judges.

This Abilify Lawsuit is Case No. 3:18-cv-00479-MCR-GRJ, in the U.S. District Court of Northern Florida, Pensacola Division.