Mirapex Bellwether Trials Starting

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that the first of three bellwether trials have started in Minneapolis (in front of my judge), testing the case for the link between Parkinson's/restless leg syndrome drug Mirapex and compulsive gambling. The first cases are being tried by veteran trial lawyer (and former U.S. Senate candidate) Mike Ciresi; the Strib reports that there are about 200 suits filed.

I first posted about Mirapex about two years ago.

A recent story about another suit involving the drug provides a typical fact pattern and also notes a recent study that "found that people taking dopamine agonist drugs—Mirapex is in this class of drugs—which help control movement problems, were two-to-three times more likely to have at least one of four common impulse control disorders: Pathological gambling, compulsive buying, compulsive sexual behavior, and binge eating."

--BC