Des Moines Abilify Injury Lawyers
Contact an Iowa Abilify Injury Lawyer today for a free consultation. We can be reached at 515-495-6316 or via email.
Abilify (aripiprazole) is a heavily marketed and widely prescribed antipsychotic medication which has been approved for treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression.
In fact, Abilify is one of the most frequently prescribed antipsychotic medications in the country. Shockingly, Abilify users have not been warned that compulsive gambling is one of the potential side effects of this drug.
Abilify works on the dopamine levels in the users brain which interferes with the pleasure seeking receptors. Although warnings are required in other countries, the United States does not require such a warning.
In October of 2012, Europe demanded an additional warning be added to Abilify due to the European Medicines Agency report showing a positive link between aripiprazole and possible pathological gambling. Health Canada also found a link between aripiprazole usage and a possible risk of pathological gambling.
Despite this knowledge, in the United States, Otsuka and Bristol Meyers Squibb have failed to provide a warning about Abilify and possible pathological gambling.
Fortunately, on May 3, 2016, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required that a warning be added to the Abilify label directing patients and caregivers to monitor experiences of uncontrollable behavior while taking Abilify. The warning also specifies that doctors must notify patients of these additional risks and ask patients about any new or increased urges they experience while taking Abilify.
Contact an Iowa personal injury lawyer today if you believe you have been injured by compulsive behavior brought on by Abilify.
Call us today at 515-495-6316 or contact us via email.
Iowa Ablify Injury FAQ
Prescription medications should improve quality of life, not destroy it. Patients trust their doctors and pharmaceutical companies to provide safe, effective treatments for mental health conditions. When Abilify was prescribed to treat depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, many patients had no idea they were taking a drug linked to compulsive behaviors and devastating side effects. Gambling addiction, compulsive shopping, binge eating, and hypersexuality have ruined marriages, drained savings accounts, and destroyed lives. At Law Group of Iowa, we represent individuals harmed by Abilify’s inadequately disclosed risks, holding the manufacturer accountable for failing to warn patients and doctors about these life-altering side effects.
Who Manufactures Abilify And Bears Responsibility?
Bristol-Myers Squibb and Otsuka Pharmaceutical developed and marketed Abilify (aripiprazole) in the United States. These companies face liability for failing to adequately warn about compulsive behavior risks until 2016, despite evidence suggesting they knew about these dangers years earlier. The FDA required a black box warning about increased death risk in elderly dementia patients, but compulsive behavior warnings remained buried in fine print that most patients and doctors never saw. We pursue claims against these manufacturers for their failure to disclose known risks that caused preventable harm.
What Compulsive Behaviors Does Abilify Cause?
Pathological gambling represents the most commonly reported compulsive behavior, with patients who never gambled before suddenly spending thousands at casinos or online betting sites. Compulsive shopping leads to massive credit card debt and financial ruin as patients make unnecessary purchases they cannot afford. Binge eating causes significant weight gain and associated health problems. Hypersexuality and compulsive sexual behaviors damage relationships and marriages. These impulse control disorders often don’t appear until months after starting Abilify, making the connection to medication difficult to recognize initially. Symptoms typically resolve after discontinuing the drug, confirming the medication’s role in causing these behaviors.
Why Did The Manufacturer Delay Adequate Warnings?
European regulatory agencies required Abilify labels to include compulsive behavior warnings as early as 2012. The FDA didn’t mandate similar warnings in the United States until May 2016, despite numerous reports of patients suffering devastating consequences. Internal company documents may reveal that manufacturers knew about these risks but prioritized profits over patient safety. The delay in warning healthcare providers and patients allowed thousands of people to continue taking Abilify without understanding the risks they faced. We investigate whether manufacturers intentionally suppressed information about these serious side effects.
How Do We Prove Abilify Caused Your Injuries?
Medical records showing when you started taking Abilify and when compulsive behaviors began establish temporal connection. Testimony from family members and friends documents behavior changes that coincided with medication use. Financial records including bank statements, credit card bills, and casino records demonstrate the extent of compulsive spending or gambling. Mental health evaluations from before Abilify treatment show you had no history of impulse control problems. Evidence that behaviors stopped or decreased after discontinuing Abilify strengthens causation arguments. We work with medical professionals who testify about the known connection between aripiprazole and compulsive behaviors.
What Damages Can Abilify Victims Recover?
Financial losses from compulsive gambling, shopping, or other behaviors can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars in depleted savings, debt, and bankruptcy. Medical expenses include treatment for the original mental health condition plus therapy for newly developed compulsive behaviors. Lost wages occur when compulsive behaviors interfere with work performance or lead to job loss. Pain and suffering damages address the emotional distress, shame, and relationship damage these behaviors cause. Marriage counseling costs and divorce-related expenses may be recoverable when compulsive behaviors destroy relationships. We calculate all economic and non-economic losses to pursue comprehensive compensation.
Why Don’t All Abilify Users Develop These Problems?
Not every patient taking Abilify develops compulsive behaviors, but the risk affects a significant percentage of users. Genetic factors, dosage amounts, duration of use, and individual brain chemistry influence susceptibility. The unpredictability of who will develop these problems makes adequate warnings even more critical. Patients and doctors should have been informed about the risks so they could monitor for early signs and make informed treatment decisions. The manufacturer’s failure to provide proper warnings prevented this essential risk-benefit analysis.
How Long Were You Taking Abilify Before Problems Started?
Compulsive behaviors often emerge weeks or months after starting Abilify treatment. Some patients develop problems quickly while others take the medication for extended periods before symptoms appear. The gradual onset makes recognizing the connection difficult, as patients don’t immediately associate new behaviors with a medication they’ve been taking successfully. We help establish the timeline between starting Abilify and behavior changes to demonstrate the drug’s role in causing your injuries.
What Should You Do If You Experienced These Side Effects?
Gather all medical records showing Abilify prescriptions, dosages, and treatment duration. Compile financial documentation demonstrating losses from compulsive behaviors including bank statements, credit reports, and loan documents. Obtain statements from family members who witnessed behavior changes. Document the timeline of when you started medication and when problems began. Keep records of treatment you’ve received for compulsive behaviors. Contact us to evaluate whether you have a viable claim against the manufacturer. Time limitations apply to pharmaceutical injury cases, making prompt action important.
Abilify’s inadequately disclosed risks have caused immeasurable harm to patients who trusted this medication to help them. Abilify injury lawyers Iowa patients trust can investigate your case, gather evidence connecting the drug to your compulsive behaviors, and pursue compensation for your financial losses, emotional trauma, and damaged relationships. We understand pharmaceutical litigation complexities and manufacturer tactics. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Contact us today to discuss how Abilify has affected your life and learn about your legal options.
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