A consumer lawsuit has been filed alleging that aripiprazole side effects include reckless behavior, resulting in physical injury and related expenses.

Plaintiff Jacqueline E. recently filed a lawsuit as part of a multidistrict litigation against Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., and Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc. As a part of her lawsuit, Jacqueline argued that unwarned aripiprazole side effects include reckless, obsessive behavior which resulted in physical injury.

Jacqueline says she took Abilify from 2009 to 2016. During this time, aripiprazole side effects allegedly caused behaviors that led her to sustain personal injury. Due to aripiprazole side effects, Jacqueline claims she underwent 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.

What is Aripiprazole?

Abilify (aripiprazole) is a drug used to treat depression, bipolar I disorder, and schizophrenia. The drug reportedly works by targeting the dopamine neurotransmitters in the brain. Experts argue that this mechanism may contribute to compulsive actions reported as aripiprazole side effects, due to the link between dopamine and impulse behaviors such as gambling.

As of May 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that warnings for “compulsive or uncontrollable urges to gamble, binge eat, shop, and have sex” would be added to the Abilify label. However, patients affected prior to this label change were allegedly not warned about the aripiprazole side effects that could cause harm to them and others.

The Abilify lawsuit argues that the drug’s manufacturers did not sufficiently warn patients and physicians of potential aripiprazole side effects including reckless behavior, compulsive shopping, compulsive gambling, and more. Because Jacqueline and her physician were not properly warned of the aripiprazole side effects, they allegedly could not make an informed decision about the risks of taking the drug.

“Defendants misrepresented to consumers and physicians, including Plaintiffs and Plaintiffs’ physicians and the public in general, that Abilify was safe or well-tolerated when used as instructed, and that Abilify was safe or well-tolerated, when, in fact, Abilify was dangerous to the well-being of patients,” Jacqueline argues in her Abilify lawsuit.

Jacqueline goes on to add that the lack of warning is negligent on the part of the manufacturers. The manufacturers had a duty to warn consumers about aripiprazole side effects and risks associated with their drug. The lawsuit states the “Defendants had a duty to warn Plaintiffs, Plaintiffs’ physicians, and the public in general of Abilify’s dangers and serious side effects, including serious compulsive behaviors […], since it was reasonably foreseeable that an injury could occur because of Abilify’s use.”

Jacqueline accuses the defendants of strict liability, breach of warranties, negligence, negligence per se, negligent misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment, and violation of consumer protection laws. The Abilify lawsuit seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.

The Abilify Lawsuit is Case No. 3:18-cv-01386-MCR-GRJ and is part of the Abilfy MDL, In re: Abilify (aripiprazole) Products Liability Litigation, Case No. 3:16-md-02734-MCR-GRJ, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida.