The FDA has issued guidance on the brand name drug Abilify for a dangerous decrease in the ability of those taking the drug to control their impulses. In some cases, this has lead victims to develop serious gambling addictions that have devastated their family’s finances. If you or a loved one engaged in compulsive gambling after taking the antipsychotic medication Abilify (aripiprazole), you may be able to file or join a class action lawsuit to recover compensation.

The personal injury lawyers at Lynch Law Firm, PC have the experience and legal knowledge that offers you the best chance of obtaining fair compensation in an Abilify lawsuit. Your initial consultation is free and we do not charge legal fees unless your claim has a favorable outcome.

Call (800) 518-0508 to schedule your free, no obligation consultation.

Background On Abilify

Abilify was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002. It is one of the top-selling antipsychotic medications in the United States and is commonly prescribed to treat major depression, bipolar disorder, Tourette’s syndrome and schizophrenia.

The drug is designed to improve thinking, mood, and behavior by rebalancing levels of dopamine in the brain. Rebalancing dopamine in the brain can help prevent delusions, hallucinations and antisocial behavior.

For many years, the Abilify label warned consumers about a variety of side effects, from minor to severe including: nausea, insomnia, blurred vision, and seizures.

However, the label did not warn about the risks of compulsive behaviors until August 2016, after the FDA issued a safety communication in May. The FDA noted that it had received 184 reports of impulse control problems since 2002.

The FDA updated the Abilify label to say that:

• Patients may not recognize that their addictive behaviors are unusual.
• Doctors who prescribe Abilify should ask patients if they experience intense urges to gamble, shop, eat or have sex.
• If patients experience these urges, they should stop taking the drug because that usually makes the urges stop.

If you took Abilify before these warnings were published, you may be able to file an Abilify lawsuit. Contact our personal injury attorneys right away to review your claim.

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Research Linking Abilify to Compulsive Behavior

In addition to FDA warnings, multiple studies have shown that antipsychotic medications like Abilify have triggered compulsive behavior.

In 2011, the British Journal of Psychiatry published three case studies about people who took Abilify and began to gamble compulsively.

In one case study, a man who gambled regularly began to gamble even more after taking the medication. He stopped taking it and was able to refrain from gambling for a month.

However, when he was put back on the medication he felt a strong impulse to gamble. He planned extensively about how to obtain more money to gamble with and he even considered engaging in criminal activity.

Another study in 2011 detailed three more cases of people engaging in pathological gambling after taking Abilify. These three people had no prior history of gambling before taking Abilify and they reported that their compulsion to gamble disappeared after they stopped taking the medication.

JAMA Internal Medicine published an even more damning study in 2014 that found that drugs similar to Abilify were strongly associated with impulse control problems, such as pathological gambling, compulsive shopping, and hypersexuality.

Researchers found that there was a 277 percent increased risk of impulse control disorders for patients who took dopamine receptor agonist drugs like Abilify.

If you or a loved one engaged in compulsive behavior that caused emotional or financial damages to you or your family, contact the skilled attorneys at Lynch Law Firm, PC. We may be able to help you file an Abilify lawsuit to recover fair compensation.

Find Out If You Can Join an Abilify Lawsuit

Compulsive gambling can wreak havoc on individuals and their families. While they might one day recover from the financial damage caused by this behavior, the emotional damage could last for quite a while.

If this behavior was caused by taking Abilify, victims should consult a reputable attorney to find out if they may be able to file an Abilify lawsuit to recover fair compensation for the damages they have suffered.

Compensation may cover emotional injuries, the cost of treatment for gambling addiction and money lost to gambling, among other things.

The personal injury lawyers at Lynch Law Firm, PC have the experience and the resources to take on large drug companies and recover fair compensation for our clients.

We proudly offer a free, initial consultation so victims can discuss their claim without worrying about how to pay for legal help.

Call (800) 518-0508 to find out if you can join an Abilify class action lawsuit.