A lawsuit over negative Abilify effects has been filed against the makers of the medication by a man alleging he suffered from compulsive behavior side effects leading to substantial financial and economic loss.

The Abilify effects lawsuit was filed by plaintiff Joshua B. joining a growing multidistrict litigation (MDL) against the company. The lawsuit was filed on June 19, 2018.

According to the Abilify effects lawsuit, Joshua says that he ingested Abilify from approximately 2005 until 2016.

However, he says that he suffered “bodily injury and resulting pain and suffering, disability, mental anguish, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life, expense of medical care and treatment, loss of earnings, loss of ability to earn money and other economic losses.” He adds that these losses will be permanent and continuing.

The Abilify effects lawsuit was filed on multiple counts including strict liability, breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty, negligence, negligence per se, negligent misrepresentation, violation of consumer protection laws, fraudulent concealment, and punitive damages.

Overview: Abilify Effects

Thousands of Abilify effects lawsuits have been filed against the drug’s manufacturer alleging that they failed to warn patients of compulsive gambling and other compulsive behaviors associated with the medication. Patients, like Joshua, seek relief for financial and economic loss including other injuries.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Abilify treats different disorders such as schizophrenia, irritability associated with autistic disorder, Tourette’s disorder, major depressive disorder, and bipolar I disorder. However, patients prescribed Abilify (aripiprazole) say they suffered gambling losses, or other injuries from serious compulsive disorders that have resulted such as compulsive eating, gambling, and urges to have sex and shop.

According to an FDA report, “Some people taking Abilify have had unusual urges, such as gambling, binge eating or eating that you cannot control (compulsive), compulsive shopping and sexual urges.”

Until recently, Abilify’s drug label hadn’t included gambling as possible side effect. This is despite medical or scientific literature linking Abilify to gambling side effects since 2010. In May 2016, the FDA ordered new Abilify warnings to be added to the drug’s labels citing adverse event reports.

According to the FDA, other serious side effects of Abilify have included stoke in elderly people (cerebrovascular problems) that can lead to death, neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), uncontrolled body movements (tardive dyskinesia), problems with your metabolism, seizures, low white blood cell count, and orthostatic hypotension (decreased blood pressure).

Most commonly, side effects also linked to Abilify have included: upper respiratory illness, headache, constipation, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, dizziness, anxiety, restlessness, and blurred vision.

It was years earlier that both Canada and Europe added compulsive side effects to Abilify’s drug labels. In fact, a report by Health Canada stated that a “current review concludes that there is a link between the use of aripiprazole and a possible risk of pathological gambling or hypersexuality.

“After the totality of evidence was considered, and because of the extensive use of Abilify, Health Canada has updated the Canadian prescribing information for Abilify…”

The Abilify Effects Lawsuit is Case No. 3:18-cv-01434-MCR-GRJ, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, Pensacola Division. The Abilify MDL is in re: Abilify (Aripiprazole) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3:16-md-2734, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida.