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Canadians who were prescribed and used Abilify and Abilify Maintena may qualify as a Class Member of a nationwide Abilify class action lawsuit.
On March 13, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice certified the Abilify class action lawsuit, which alleges that Abilify and Abilify Maintena contribute to compulsive behaviours and impulse control disorders.
The compulsive behaviours and impulse control disorders include compulsive gambling, compulsive shopping, binge eating and hypersexuality.
The Abilify class action lawsuit was launched in June 2016 and alleges that Bristol-Myers Squibb, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals and Lundbeck knew or should have known that Abilify and Abilify Maintena increased the risk of developing compulsive behaviours but failed to disclose the risk.
According to the lawsuit, the drug makers’ failure to warn Canadians about the risks of compulsive behaviors associated with the drugs’ use has caused significant harm to Canadians who used Abilify and Abilify Maintena.
The drugmakers sought to stay this Abilify class action lawsuit because there is a similar action pending in Quebec, but the Ontario court determined that the case has a legitimate reason to proceed and denied the stay.
What is Abilify?
Abilify (aripiprazole) is an antipsychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia, major depressive disorder and bipolar 1 disorder. It was approved in 2009 and became one of the most widely prescribed antipsychotic medications worldwide. In Canada, the number of Abilify prescriptions reportedly increased from about 3,000 in 2010 to more than 1 million prescriptions in 2013.
Abilify is reportedly available in tablet form in a variety of dosages. Abilify Maintena is a prolonged release injectable form of aripiprazole and is available in higher doses than Abilify tablets.
According to the class action, Abilify and Abilify Maintena are dopamine agonists, which have been linked scientifically to an increase in compulsive behaviors. In October 2012, European product labeling of Abilify was revised in response to a European Medicines Agency safety review of Abilify which established a connection between the use of Abilify and compulsive gambling.
However, no warning was included for Abilify products sold in Canada until November 2015 when Health Canada confirmed that Abilify was linked to an increased risk of hypersexuality and compulsive gambling.
Abilify Class Action Lawsuit Allegations
The plaintiffs allege in the Abilify class action lawsuit that aripiprazole can cause compulsive conduct and an inability to control impulsive behaviour. The specific behaviours that are allegedly linked to Abilify and Abilify Maintena include pathological gambling, compulsive shopping and spending, binge eating and hypersexuality.
According to court documents, the plaintiffs describe in the Abilify class action lawsuit “sometimes life-ruining descents into these destructive behaviours” that are allegedly attributed to the Abilify drugs.
The Abilify class action lawsuit accuses the drug makers and drug marketers of failing to conduct adequate pre- and post-marketing testing of Abilify and failing to warn consumers about the foreseeable risks of harmful side effects. Additionally, the plaintiffs accuse the pharmaceutical companies of engaging in a conspiracy to conceal the risks of Abilify and Abilify Maintena.
The plaintiffs asserted claims for negligence and conspiracy and sought compensatory and punitive damages.
Who is Included in this Abilify Class Action Lawsuit?
Class Members of the Abilify class action lawsuit include all Canadians, including their estates, who were prescribed and ingested Abilify between July 9, 2009 and Feb. 23, 2017 and all Canadians, including their estates, who were prescribed and ingested Abilify Maintena between Feb. 6, 2014 and Dec. 16, 2016.
In addition, Canadians who have a personal relationship with a person in Canada who meets the above criteria may be entitled to assert a derivative claim for damages.
Another Abilify compulsive behaviour class action lawsuit is currently pending in the Superior Court of Quebec. Class Members of the Quebec lawsuit include Canadians who took Abilify before Feb. 23, 2017 and developed one or more of the following impulse control disorders: pathological gambling, compulsive/binge eating, compulsive shopping or spending, and/or hypersexual behaviours or sexual addiction.The opt out deadline in that case has recently been extended to Nov. 19, 2020 due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Did you or someone you know take Abilify or Abilify Maintena and experience compulsive behaviors? Tell us your story in the comment section below.
Class Members are represented by Joel Rochon and Golnaz Nayerahmadi of Rochon Genova LLP.
The Abilify Compulsive Behaviour Class Action Lawsuit is Kirsh v. Bristol-Myers Squibb, et al., Case No. CV-16-553833-00CP, in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Canada.
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25 thoughts onNationwide Abilify Class Action Lawsuit Moves Forward
I’ve taken Abilify for about 7 years and suffer from one of the behaviours which has had (is having) a significant impact on my life. How do I get information about the class action suit?
I’ve been on aripiprazole for over 10 years and it might be the cause of damaging my kidneys.
i developed compulsive binge eating, gambling and opiate drug addiction after taking abilify during these times, i was forced to take it in a psch ward against my will. and they said it would help and it seemed to temporarily but then it started changing me and they took me off it and sent me home from psych ward. i want to be in on this class action please. a psychiatrist prescribed it while i was on a form one against my will and never explained possible side effects at all. coerced and forced me to try this new pill
i’ve taken abilify since 2007 until now and have had adverse side effects i didn’t realize until today there was a lawsuit
This is all me
My son was injected with Abilify 400 mg IM and given Olanzapine for sleep…he had a severely adverse reaction which I reported to Health Canada
I have been on this medication for over 8 years and developed gambling problems and put myself on financial burden. Am I eligible to join?
I too developed a compulsive gambling addiction while taking prescribed Abilify medication. Is there a current class action that I can join?
Hello i took ability for a few years time
And have developed very bad impulsive behaviours as a result of the medication. Am I able to get involved in the class action law suit??
Nathan
The abilify shot had complications throughout and my dr covered the side effects and then I got a new disorder the injection wasn’t even approved by fda and I was an experiment with no knowledge and complained but I was so medicated out that I had no mobility of my brain it thru me into ptsd but the research was not accurate at al
I was giving Abilify through a doctor that specializes in ADHD . he decided to try me on other drugs and Abilify was one of them Which none of these drugs he put me on didn’t help my ADHD I was just a guinea pig experiment which I filed a complaint to the physician in college board and they investigate it… from what I heard they took the appropriate measures.
I saw a Pro Bono Lawyer she told me I was too late to file only because the college and physician board were dragging their feet on this complaint and took their time addressing my compliment which I have all necessary paperwork to view.