Introduction
Hundreds of people have filed lawsuits saying Abilify caused them to compulsively gamble, spend money or eat.
Other compulsive-behavior side effects covered in the lawsuits include suicide attempts and thoughts, as well as compulsively viewing pornography and playing video games.
Abilify lawsuits also blame the drug for tardive dyskinesia. This condition causes involuntary movements.
History of the Case
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. are the two companies responsible for Abilify. Bristol-Myers Squibb says in U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings that the companies are facing Abilify lawsuits in various state courts, as well as in Canada.
In May 2018, the New Jersey Supreme Court agreed to consolidate 42 Abilify lawsuits into multicounty litigation.
In August 2018, 17 plaintiffs filed lawsuits in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Lawsuits claim Abilify caused compulsive gambling, shopping, sex and binge eating.
Hundreds of Canadians filed an Abilify class action lawsuit in 2017. Among the plaintiffs was Christina Milisic, who said she lost upwards of $400,000 from the compulsive gambling habit she developed while taking the drug.
Injuries Related to Product
Compulsive behavior is defined as performing an act persistently and repetitively without it necessarily leading to an actual reward or pleasure. Compulsive behaviors could be an attempt to make obsessions go away. The act is usually a small, restricted and repetitive behavior, yet not disturbing in a pathological way.
