A lady's lawsuit, worth CA$1.2 million (US$880K), was dismissed by a British Columbia Supreme Court judge. The woman claimed that antipsychotic medicine caused her to become obsessed about shopping and gambling, which completely changed her life.

Jennifer Purchas claimed that when psychiatrist Dr. Stephen Ogunremi administered a two-milligram dose of Abilify (aripiprazole) in late 2019, he neglected to inform her of the medication's recognized negative effects.

She claimed that the drug caused her to gamble and lose tens of thousands of dollars, but it also allowed her to purchase dozens of expensive goods, including twenty-five Louis Vuitton purses.

Justice Michael Stephens found in his July 4 decision that Purchas had not demonstrated that Abilify was the source of the obsessive conduct, and Ogunremi had not violated the standard of care.

“I accept that she believes that Abilify caused her to engage in compulsive gambling and shopping,” Stephens wrote. “However, the plaintiff has not demonstrated that it is more likely than not that Abilify was the cause.”

Increased Gambling

Prior to using the drug, Purchas admitted in her testimony that she occasionally and with others wagered, spending comparatively little money.  Prior to her prescription, bank records revealed $100 to $600 in gambling transactions.  She said that after taking Abilify, her conduct drastically worsened, including gambling by herself and slinking away from family.

She also talked of having a compulsive need to shop and purchasing expensive accessories and several pairs of the same shoes.

The court also pointed out that Purchas has a history of mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, and previous drug usage.

Stephens concluded that there was insufficient evidence to connect Abilify to Purchas's actions and that Ogunremi's actions were consistent with recognized medical practice.

“Accordingly, the action should be dismissed,” the ruling concluded.

In 2015, Health Canada released a safety advice alerting people to the possibility that Abilify could raise their risk of impulse control issues, including compulsive gambling.  Although Ogunremi admitted that he had not warned Purchas about the risk, he clarified that it was very uncommon and usually avoided unless there was a history of gambling.

Thousands of lawsuits

Purchas is not the only person who has asserted this regarding Abilify's adverse effects.  According to Consumer Safety, there were 2,430 active lawsuits involving aripiprazole in the United States as of March 2019.

In order to resolve claims that it had inappropriately marketed Abilify for unapproved applications, including for children and elderly people suffering from dementia, the pharmaceutical corporation Bristol-Myers Squibb agreed to pay $19.5 million in 2016.

 As part of that settlement, the business agreed not to hide risk information from the public or healthcare providers and pledged to be more open about possible side effects, including weight gain and obsessive behaviors.