Well, we have had the discussion here about a drug to "cure" compulsive gambling. On the other side once again are claims that one causes it.
A man in Canada is suing the makers of a Parkinson drug for millions of dollars claiming it caused him to become a compulsive gambler. This is according to an article on CBC online today.
This is not the first time attempts have been made to link the drug Mirapex with compulsive behaviors, including compulsive gambling. The suit claims the drug manufacturers Boehringer and Pfizer understated the risks in their aggressive marketing. The man claims as a result he lost over $100,000.00 and the problem gambling almost destroyed his marriage.
He claims now that he is no longer taking the medication that he can gamble "normally" and not to excess.
I have voiced that I am not a big fan of medication here in the past. I have always felt that the unknowns can often outweigh the benefits. I also think if the risks are known, and not disclosed, there is a problem. We do not yet know enough about the specifics of this case to make a judgment.
Here is my concern though...that people who really do suffer from this problem have another avenue to delay getting the treatment they should get because they will blame it on medication. Today it is Mirapex, tomorrow some other drug.
We ll follow this story.
John
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