This is a very interesting issue. Not just about the possibility that some anti-Parkinson's drugs can lead to compulsive gambling, but the general culpability of casinos when faced with obvious compulsive gambling. Don't bars have to stop pouring when it appears that an individual is out of control? How is is it casinos have no such resposibility? Casinos have mastered the art of nurturing sick individuals to part with their money by means of hyper-aggressive marketing. Sadly not all gambling is a matter of choice or personal responsibility.

CJD to the rescue. Can't believe that a plaintif/lawyer combo have not tried to blame and exploit those obviously very deep pockets. Maybe they are afraid of a mofia hit. Merk, Pfizer, Ford, Mcdonalds, Firestone, doctors don't associate with the "right" kind of people to protect their interest

If a patient (layperson) came to you and claimed one of the medications you prescribed was making them have an urge to gamble, what would you do? You probably would take them off the medication and then fall on the floor laughing after they left.

You are just taking this serious because it is a Dr. involved in doing all that gambling. If he is so messed up from medication that he really doesn't know right from wrong or how to control urges, they have places where out of control people go to get help. Usually it isn't a court room.

I think it's the Prada miniskirt that girl was wearing that made me cheat on my wife. You think I can sue Prada? She had a Coach Handbag too, whatta ya think? Ya think my wife will buy this?

Anon 2:14, Nope, I'm still trying to figure out how a physician has pockets deep enough to hold 14 mil.

Anon 6:33...No, I have never applied for casino credit....lol...wow, that would get me killed on the home front.

I would only go to the casino if I wanted to spend a day just having a good time and would take with me only what I felt I could afford to lose.

I'm having a hard time understanding how you cannot know that gambling is taking all your money, yet you apply for loans and have markers and just get into them for 14 mil. Then, claim it must be your medication causing it.

I'm surprised the casino's don't keep this med (in lg. quantities) in stock and slip it in the drinks.

There was a similar frivilous lawsuit in Philly about 15 years ago. A rich guy (the former owner of the 76er's, if I remember correctly) sued the Atlantic City casinos saying they got him drunk so he lost 75 million dollars. He lost the lawsuit too. I've lost money gambling (within reason) I never thought of blaming someone else for my loss. It makes me want to throw up that people can't take responsibility for themselves.

"
If a patient (layperson) came to you and claimed one of the medications you prescribed was making them have an urge to gamble, what would you do? You probably would take them off the medication and then fall on the floor laughing after they left.

You are just taking this serious because it is a Dr. involved in doing all that gambling. If he is so messed up from medication that he really doesn't know right from wrong or how to control urges, they have places where out of control people go to get help. Usually it isn't a court room."

This guy isn't making this claim out of the blue. It is not analogous to someone coming in complaining that the COX2 inhibitor they got turned their feet lime green.

There have been studies on this and while I'm not personally sure how definitive the link is, any neurologist would be aware of the possibility of compulsive gambling with dopamine agonists. No doc would drop to the floor on the patient's departure and start laughing, now matter who the patient was.

Keep in mind the website below is just a summary of a single study, there might be newer information with stronger causality concluded:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/08/030812073612.htm

"Doctors file suit all the time. Heck, they've got a huge class action going against health insurers which has netted over a billion dollars."

How can I get a piece of that? I want to retire to stop fighting the lawyer sodomites every day.

""Doctors file suit all the time. Heck, they've got a huge class action going against health insurers which has netted over a billion dollars."

http://www.osma.org/i4a/pages/headlinedetails.cfm?id=78&archive=1

You can start at that link. Maybe soon they'll have class actions against all the patients you hate so much as well.

Incidentally, the quote you are attributing to me is not mine.

CJD

All knee slapping aside, what if Requip or Mirapex does weird things to the dopaminergic reward pathways in your brain? What if you are not conscious of that action? People have been acquited of murder because they claimed to be in automatic states (sleep-walking etc). I would not be so quick to dismiss this claim, of course the liability would probably lie more with the drug manufacturer than the casinos, (as the casinos are in the business of stealing your money) and then probably only if they had some knowledge of this effect or should have had knowledge of this effect.
Its a tough case to win but there are a number of case reports involving both drugs (Mirapex more than Requip). I would stay tuned on this one. This is not "McDonalds made me fat". This case may not get very far, but it is far from frivolous.

google - acquited sleepwalking murder-
numerous acquitals worldwide, obviously the juries bought the argument.

of course the liability would probably lie more with the drug manufacturer than the casinos
This was what I was wondering about. If the drug leads to compulsive behavior then logically the drug makers are at fault. What if the guy turned to compulsive shopping or stock trading instead? Whom would he sue then - Bloomingdale's or his broker? BTW, there is a fine line between the trading and gambling. You can even make a case that stock market is bad for your health - people jumped from very tall buildings because of it.

I don't think it is fair to compare casinos to smoking or asbestos. You cannot get cancer from gambling. All you can loose is your money. In most cases - you pay for entertainment.

This a far ways off from "McDonald's made me fat." The Stacy-Barrow study of Aug 2005, the Mayo Clinic study of July 2005, and the recent joint Duke University/FDA study of Feb 2006, all nailed dopamine agonists as catalysts for compulsive gambling. Further, there has been European reporting on this situation since at east 2000.

Even if this medication does cause compulsive behavior how can the casino's be held accountable for it? That's what I don't understand. They don't take your medical history when you go in the door. They don't require a list of all your medications and possible side effects from them.

If a convienence store clerk sells a 6 pk. of hershey bars to someone, then that person goes into a diabetic coma is that clerk responsible?

I used to Drink. I went to a therapist. She taught me to avoid situations where alcohol wasprevalent, ie I don't walk into bars, liquor stores, I don't go to cocktail parties. I haven't had a drink in 20 years. You had to drive in your car to get to the casino (or take one of those bus junkets) Your choice. Nobody put a gun to your head. I still don't understand how the drug company is liable, unless they knew beforehand the drug causes compulsive gambling, and covered it up ALA Merck and Vioxx.

Previous to my two years of Mirapex hell and gambling, I led an extremely conservative, tightfisted life. The most exciting thing I had ever done with my money was to put it into certificates of deposit. I was the very picture of a sober-minded, straight-laced arch-conservative penny-pinching tightwad. Mirapex does not make you gamble--it makes you WANT to gamble. There is a subtle distinction. You CRAVE excitement and risk, and you are willing to do ANYTHING to satisfy that craving and feel rewarded. One time, on a single pull of the slot machine, I won $76,000. I did not smile, I did not applaud, I did not laugh, I did not jump up and down, even though people all around me were. I simply sat down, straightfaced, and somberly waited for my winnings from the attendant, then I proceeded to continue playing. Within a month it was gone and I was back in the hole again. It was all in the craving. Yes I knew I was in a casino, yes, I knew what I was doing, but I had to satisfy the craving. I have never used heroin or cocaine, but believe me when I say the craving for risk was that bad. It's all in satisfying the craving--a craving that died out totally about five days after I stopped using Mirapex.
anon-12:20

"Alot of lives have been ruined in casinos"

True, and the important distinction in Cathy's statement is that lives have been ruined IN casinos, not BY casinos. One day in this country people will have to take responsibility for their own actions.

Last night (22 March 2006) CNN carried a news story about dopamine agonists and compulsive behavior. They interviewed Boehringer's own consultant researchers at the Univ of Pennsylvania. The two doctors admitted on camera there was no doubt the drugs were at fault, and that it was "crystal clear". Could anyone want more than that?

I was taking mirapex for Restless Leg Syndrome.I was never a gambler in a casino because I was afraid to bet because I knew how hard it was to make money and how easy it was to loose it.I suffered since childhood with this awful disease and it was never looked after.I had business with my wife a slowly stated to go to the casino with an acqaintance.You know the results.I since have lost my marriage,my money and lived in a homeless shelter.It was not until somebody at the shelter sent me to a centre for addiction and mental health run by the university and hospital where I live in Toronto.I found out on my second visit to the clinic by my councilor that mirapex had these side affects.I immediately went of the medication and all my compulsions went away.Thank G-d, if not for that clinic I still would be gambling and all messed up, to say the least.I had quite a few side affects from that pill.I it now 15 months since I stopped the pill and have given up gambling and feel like a new persopn at 64years old.

(layperson) This is not a frivolous issue. While taking Requip, my husband developed obsessive, manic, irrational personality. We are now in the process of lowering the dosage. His behavior has impoved and I am hoping for some peace very soon.

I did not want to gamble when I started taking mirapex. I wanted to shop 24/7. I buy clothes once a year and never much that costs a lot. Then mirapex came into my life..I got PD at age 46 and the first thing they put me on was mirapex. Within days I wanted to go to town and that was 45 minutes away! I got every credit card I could and maxed them out. I did not care what I got just as long as I got it. It did not start till I
started it. We wound up in bankrupcy owing 15,000. the mirapex did it I have no doubt. I have to continue to take mirapex because stopping gave me such horrible side effects. I handle no money what so ever.
anonoymous