Abilify (Aripiprazole) Side Effects

Abilify, which is the brand name for aripiprazole, is an antipsychotic medication used to treat bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, manic depression, major depression and now autism, and many others.  Abilify has been all over the news.  The side effects can be life threatening.  The FDA has issued warnings that Abilify can lead to Leukopenia, Neutropenia and agranulocytosis, (all abnormal lowering of the white blood cell count).  The list of adverse reactions and warnings keep mounting.

Abilify Side Effects include, but not limited to:

Confusion

Fast heart rate (tachycardia)

High fever

FDA Warnings for Abilify (Aripiprazole)

HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESCRIBING INFORMATION FOR ABILIFY (ARIPIPRAZOLE)M THE ANTI-PSCYHOTIC MEDICATION

These highlights do not include all the information needed to use ABILIFY safely and effectively. See full prescribing information for ABILIFY.

ABILIFY® (aripiprazole) Tablets

ABILIFY DISCMELT® (aripiprazole) Orally Disintegrating Tablets

ABILIFY® (aripiprazole) Oral Solution

ABILIFY® (aripiprazole) Injection FOR INTRAMUSCULAR USE ONLY

Initial U.S. Approval: 2002

BLACK BOX WARNING:

Taking Abilify with Antidepressants

The latest Abilify commercial on television states, “One option your doctor may consider is adding Abilify.  Only Abilify is FDA approved to treat depression in adults when added to an antidepressant…”

It goes on to list, as fast as possible, the following side effects:

“Call your doctor if your depression worsens or you have unusual changes in mood or behavior or thoughts of suicide.  Antidepressants can increase these in children, teens and young adults.  Elderly dementia patients taking Abilify have an increased risk of death or stroke.  Call your doctor if you have high fever, stiff muscles or confusion on Abilify,

Abilify (Aripiprazole): Lawsuit Settlement – Serious Side Effects – NOT FDA Approved in Children and Seniors

43 States have received millions of dollars in settlements from Bristol-Myers Squibb for the questionable marketing and pricing of certain prescription drugs for the poor.

Bristol-Meyers Squibb and its former subsidiary, Apothecon Inc., agreed in September to pay a total of $499 million, according to a spokeswoman for the company. The payments to the individual states, like Georgia’s Medicaid program went out in July 2008.

“The allegations were that these companies not only engaged in a pattern of kickbacks and false reporting to drive up both the sales and prices for its drugs, they also encouraged health care providers to prescribe a potent drug to both children and seniors for uses that had not been approved by the FDA,” Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker said in a prepared statement. “The drive to make certain that the bottom-line meets Wall Street expectations can never justify defrauding the taxpayers or putting our most vulnerable citizens at risk.”