Abilify, also referred to as aripiprazole, is a top-selling antipsychotic drug in the United States. It is prescribed for the treatment of several conditions, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, Tourette’s syndrome, and irritability in patients with autism. However, many patients and their physicians are discovering that it is linked with compulsive and uncontrollable desires to binge eat, shop, gamble, and have sex.
These compulsive behaviors can lead to problems in nearly all areas of life including financial, work, and relationships. They can also result in harm to other parties. Given that these problems can be so life-altering, you may want to seek the help of an Abilify lawyer if you have experienced these ill effects, as you may be eligible to receive compensation for your damages.
How Abilify Works
Abilify works by activating dopamine receptors in a patient’s brain. When these receptors are stimulated in response to a certain situation or activity, users may experience a high feeling or extreme feelings of pleasure. Biologically, the dopamine system works by stimulating humans to do the things needed to survive such as eating.
For people with specific mental illnesses may have dopamine receptors that are stimulated too much or not enough, which Abilify presumably can help treat. However, research has shown that Abilify may hyper-stimulate the brain’s dopamine receptors leading to compulsive behaviors. Even when patients have experienced financial or personal problems due to their compulsive behavior, they often cannot stop while still taking Abilify. A person suffering from bad negative side affects should get in contact with an Abilify lawyer.
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Safety Warnings for Abilify
Under the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations §§201.56 and 201.57, drug manufacturers are mandated to label their medications with certain facts about the drug. In light of many different studies linking this drug to compulsive behaviors in patients who had no history of such behaviors prior to taking Abilify, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Safety Announcement in 2016 requiring Bristol-Myers, the manufacturers of Abilify, to include warning labels about the potential for these compulsive behaviors with the drug.
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Abilify’s Legal Issues
Several different actions and inactions have led to Bristol-Myers facing legal issues regarding Abilify. According to court documents, Bristol-Myers did not properly test Abilify and hid evidence from the FDA during the approval process. In addition, they exaggerated the benefits of this drug and suggested that physicians prescribe Abilify for conditions that did not have FDA approval, an action known as off-label use.
Although Abilify does not have approval from the FDA to treat these particular disorders, the manufacturers still promoted its use for:
- Anxiety disorders
- Dementia
- Eating disorders
- Insomnia
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
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Let an Abilify Attorney Help
As of May 2018, over 800 lawsuits have been filed in federal court against Bristol-Myers regarding the side effects of Abilify. An Abilify lawyer may be able to assist you in seeking justice if you were negatively impacted by taking Abilify.
A skilled and compassionate attorney could not only listen to how Abilify impacted your life but also help you take action in civil court. You may be eligible to join a mass tort lawsuit against the manufacturers of Abilify for not properly warning patients about the risk of compulsive behaviors in a timely manner. Call our qualified legal team today to have your case evaluated.
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