Some people might it difficult to believe that Abilify can cause an addiction to gambling. In fact, one former Abilify consumer, who we will call Tony, developed such a compulsive gambling issue that his wife left him.
“I was on this medication for five years and my gambling addiction was so bad I lost my business and my wife,” says Tony. “Had I known that Abilify can cause gambling and sexual compulsions I would never have taken the drug. I can live with the weight gain but I’ll never get my wife back.” Tony stopped taking Abilify nearly a year ago. He no longer has a gambling addiction but he is now bankrupt and divorced.
Three major studies concluded that Abilify patients were able to control their gambling impulses when they discontinued the drug or had their dosage substantially reduced. The British Journal of Psychiatry in 2011 published a study that examined three Abilify patients who were addicted to gambling. Six months after taking it they were switched to another anti-depressant, and all of them no longer had a compulsion to gamble. A report in JAMA Internal Medicine (2014) found a substantial association between Abilify and gambling problems after studying the medical records of 1,580 patients reporting impulsive behavior issues. Also in 2014, the medical journal Addictive Behaviors published a study that found the same results.
Tony played the slots occasionally when he drove his mother to the casino, and never lost more than $50. Until he took Abilify. “After I ploughed through my bank account, I obtained cash advances on my credit cards and soon maxed them out,” says Eric. “My wife and I were saving for a vacation but we aren’t going anywhere now. If there was a medical emergency, I have no idea what we would do. No wonder she wants a divorce.”
Tony filed a lawsuit against the makers of Abilify for failing to adequately warn consumers and doctors about its potential to cause compulsive behavior.
“Defendants wrongfully and unjustly profited at the expense of patient safety and full disclosure to the medical community by failing to include language about gambling in the United States labeling and by failing to otherwise warn the public and the medical community about Abilify’s association with gambling – despite opportunities and a duty to do so,” the lawsuit filed by the Tony states. “As a result, Defendants have made significantly more revenue from Abilify sales in the United States compared to Europe.”
Our law firm continues to investigate Abilify lawsuits from across the country. If you or a loved suffered from compulsive gambling after taking Abilify, contact our office immediately for your free consultation.