Antipsychotic Drug Abilify Linked to Compulsive Gambling, Baron & Budd Reports

Patients May Be at Risk of Substantial Economic Losses, Psychological Distress

DALLAS--()--Several studies have linked the antipsychotic medication Abilify to the development of compulsive gambling in patients taking the drug, reports the national law firm of Baron & Budd. Patients on Abilify who have suffered economic losses due to gambling may be eligible to pursue legal action against the manufacturer.

The British Journal of Psychiatry published a 2011 study that examined three patients using Abilify who suffered from compulsive gambling. Each patient was moved from Abilify to another anti-depressant. Six months later, the researchers reported, none of the patients had resumed gambling.

In 2014, JAMA Internal Medicine published a study that showed a link between the use of Abilify and impulse behavior problems such as compulsive gambling. Researchers studied the medical records of 1,580 patients reporting impulsive behavior issues and found a substantial association between the drug and gambling problems.

The medical journal Addictive Behaviors published a study that same year that also identified an association between Abilify and compulsive gambling. French researchers examined people who had checked into a clinic for a gambling problem. Eight of the patients were taking Abilify, and, according to the study, the drug was directly responsible for seven of the patients’ gambling issues. Researchers reported that those seven patients were once again able to control their gambling impulses after they were either taken off the drug completely or had their dosage substantially reduced.

“A growing body of evidence shows an association between the use of Abilify and potentially destructive gambling problems,” said Russell Budd, president and managing shareholder of the national law firm of Baron & Budd. “People taking this drug had no warning whatsoever that they could be at risk of developing an addiction that could ruin their lives.”

Compulsive gambling can lead to not only serious financial problems, but also result in the need for expensive medical treatment. If you or someone close to you takes Abilify and suffers from this problem, you may be able to take legal action to obtain compensation. Please call Baron & Budd at 1 (866) 700-8994 to learn more.

ABOUT BARON & BUDD, P.C.

The law firm of Baron & Budd, P.C., with offices in Dallas, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Austin and Los Angeles, is a nationally recognized law firm with a nearly 40-year history of "Protecting What's Right" for people, communities and businesses harmed by negligence. Baron & Budd's size and resources enable the firm to take on large and complex cases. The firm represents individuals and government and business entities in areas as diverse as dangerous pharmaceuticals and medical devices, environmental contamination, the Gulf oil spill, financial fraud, overtime violations, deceptive advertising, automotive defects, trucking accidents, nursing home abuse, and asbestos-related illnesses such as mesothelioma.

Contacts

Baron & Budd, P.C.
Bradley Bowen, 214-523-6633

Release Summary

Several studies have linked the antipsychotic medication Abilify to the development of compulsive gambling in patients taking the drug.

Contacts

Baron & Budd, P.C.
Bradley Bowen, 214-523-6633