Gynecomastia pinned as culprit in latest round of Risperdal lawsuits
No stranger to controversy, the antipsychotic drug risperdone, whose pill-form is sold under the name Risperdal and injectable Risperdal Consta has found itself in hot water again.
Risperdal’s maker, Johnson & Johnson, has begun receiving a new wave of lawsuits from users claiming the drug triggers hormone imbalances that lead to gynecomastia, a medical condition that promotes the development of breast tissue in males.
The pharmaceutical giant previously addressed this issue in the fall of 2012 when it settled six Risperdal lawsuits involving adolescents who used the drug for its antipsychotic purposes. The plantiffs sued for physical and psychological trauma from mastectomies or other reconstructive surgeries stemming from the Risperdal-induced gynecomastia.
Johnson and Johnson under fire for Risperdal complaints since 2004
Since 2004, Johnson & Johnson’s sales practices for the drug have been under considerable scrutiny under the notion that the company marketed the drug for unapproved treatments that included dementia, anxiety and autism. This culminated in a November 2013 settlement between Johnson & Johnson and the U.S. Department of Justice to the tune of $2.2 billion. Now, legal firms from across the country are mobilizing to represent patients that were improperly prescribed the drug and suffered from gynecomastia.
Developed in the late 1980’s under Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen-Cilag and first approved by the FDA in 1994, Risperdal has been a significant source of income. From 2003 to 2010, the company sold over $24 billion of the drug and in 2007- Risperdal attributed for six percent of all sales for the company.
How Risperdal users can get help
If you or a loved one have been prescribed Risperdal for treatment of conditions other than schizophrenia and have experienced gynecomastia, you may be entitled to financial restitution. Complete the “Request Attorney Assistance” form on the right to contact an experienced attorney to determine your rights if you’ve suffered from gynecomastia after taking Risperdal.
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