Toronto, ON: A Canadian judge has certified a class action lawsuit brought by Canadians with Parkinson's disease (PD) who were treated with the medication Permax made by Eli Lilly.
The lawsuit contends that patients taking Permax developed gambling addictions, which has resulted in some plaintiffs suffering financial losses in the six figures.
The lawsuit is claiming more than $3 million in damages for each plaintiff, and there are approximately 30 people plaintiffs involved in the suit so far.
According to the statement of claim filed by Swapan Banerjee, the lead plaintiff in the Permax class action, he developed a significant gambling habit soon after beginning his Permax treatment in 2000. He gambled away more than $200,000 and twice remortgaged his condominium, all of which resulted in serious problems developing between himself and his wife and children.
According to his statement, "He gambled indiscriminately and relentlessly." And, "He visited casinos and played the slot machines compulsively. He made impulsive and uncontrolled stock market transactions. He spent large sums of money on lottery tickets."
According to a study done in Calgary and published in 2008, one in 10 of the patients with PD who were taking Permax and who were seen at a local clinic had gambling addictions of some sort, which is reportedly five times the rate in the general population.
Permax was removed from the market in 2007 due to heart-related side effects.
