Risperdal Lawsuits

Risperdal Complications & Side Effects

There are several side effects associated with taking Risperdal. Risperdal (risperidone) may impair your thinking or reactions. Stop using this medicine and call your doctor at once if you have fever, stiff muscles, confusion, sweating, fast or uneven heartbeats, restless muscle movements in your face, tremors, trouble swallowing, or feel light-headed.

One of the more alarming side effects of risperidone is galactorrhea, the spontaneous flow of milk from the breasts not associated with pregnancy. Studies have shown that risperidone can lead to elevated levels of prolactin in the blood, leading to galactorrhea. This has been found in both women and men. Other common side effects include:

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Increased Appetite & Weight Gain
• Stomach Pain
• Anxiety
• Restlessness
• Difficulty with Sleep
• Decreased Libido
• Problems with Vision
• Pain in Muscles & Joints

FDA Risperdal Warnings

In 2005, the FDA added a Black Box Warning to the drug’s label after the government learned that the use of the drug among elderly patients with dementia could increase the risk of death.

In recent years, the FDA and the U.S. Department of Justice have questioned Johnson & Johnson, and tried to determine whether they have adequate labeling on their products. Investigations into Ohio Risperdal lawsuits are ongoing, and patients may still suffer from dangerous and deforming side effects each year.

Several million-dollar verdicts have been reached in recent years against Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturers of Risperdal, and hundreds of claims are still pending.

What is Gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia is the abnormal growth of breasts in a male, which develops as excess non-cancerous tissue growth. It is known to cause severe discomfort and certain degrees of psychological distress and emotional trauma. This condition is also associated with galactorhea, the white discharge that comes from a male’s breast.

Patients who have been diagnosed with gynecomstia must cope with abnormal tissue growth regularly, and breasts may continue to regrow even after some cases of surgical treatment. The longer a patient waits to treat the condition, the more difficult the removal process. To remove the breast tissue, a patient must undergo a surgical procedure that may include liposuction and mastectomy.

With any surgical procedures there are risks of complication. Patients may be at risk of hematomas, surgical infections, painful scarring, as well as possible nerve damage around the areas of the breast.

Symptoms of Gynecomastia Risperdal Injury

Gynecomastia is caused by a hormonal imbalance of estrogen and testosterone, and can affect one or both breasts. Men may suffer devastating emotional consequences and may also have pain in their breasts. Sometimes gynecomastia resolves on its own, but the condition can require surgical intervention to return the patient to his former condition.

Even after surgery the breasts may continue to show signs of growth. According to the Mayo Clinic, signs that a patient is experiencing gynecomastia include swollen breast gland tissue and breast tenderness.

Risperdal Injury & Complications

Risperdal has been sold to consumers for more than 20 years. Antipsychotic drugs like Risperdal have been regularly prescribed to patients diagnosed with manic depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and childhood autism.

Many patients have been helped by drugs like Risperdal, however others have suffered from deforming and debilitating side effects that include the enlargement and lactating of breasts in both men and women, cardiac issues, liver and kidney injuries, abnormal blood counts, and other serious adverse health outcomes.

As a result, many people that have been devastated by the unfortunate side effects of Risperdal have filed specific Risperdal lawsuits against Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturers and distributors of the drug. Risperdal Risks include:

• Gynecomastia
• High blood pressure
• Stroke or heart attack
• Diabetes
• Low white blood cell counts
• Liver or kidney disease
• Seizures
• Low bone mineral density
• Rash / Hives
• Problems Breathing & Swallowing
• Breast swelling or tenderness (in men or women)
• Severe nervous system reaction
• Impotence

Risperdal Side Effects

In 1993, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of Johnson & Johnson and Janssen Pharmaceuticals drug, Risperdal, first approved to treat schizophrenia in adults. The drug makers moved quickly to try to expand the use of the drug to build profits, though risked injuries by seeking approval for multiple disorder uses.

In 2011, a recall of Risperdal and Risperidone was issued after consumers reported an uncharacteristic odor coming from the pills. Some patients claim that they suffered gastrointestinal problems.

More recently, concerns over gynecomastia have prompted thousands of lawsuits, filed against Johnson & Johnson.

Ohio Risperdal Litigtation

In 2015, Johnson & Johnson, the makers of Risperdal, paid $2.5 million in damages for neglecting to warn consumers that their medication can cause breast growth in men (gynecomastia). The case was spurred by the family of a seven-year-old autistic boy who took the medication for four years and developed large breasts.

In November, 2013, Johnson & Johnson settled a case for $2.2 billion resulting from illegal promotion of the drug for unapproved purposes in older adults, children, and those with developmental disabilities. Johnson & Johnson tried to acquire FDA approval for the use of Risperdal in older adults with dementia shortly after first marketing the drug, but were denied.

Despite this, a sales team continued to promote Risperdal use in geriatric patients. According to attorneys and a leading Ohio Risperdal lawyer, J&J was aware of the risk of stroke in elderly patients, but neglected to state it when marketing the drug.

Risperdal Gynecomastia Lawsuits

A study published in 2000 identified the concern between Risperdal usage and the growth of male breasts. This study was completed a short time after Risperdal was approved for consumers by the FDA.

The study found that in just two weeks of taking Risperdal, a 38-year-old male developed male breast and began producing a milky white discharge. The researchers noted that the patient’s prolactin hormone levels were nearly double the normal range for males. When doctors pulled him off of the drug, the patient’s hormone levels dropped into the average range.

A Duke University study in 2006 concluded that Risperdal may cause male breast growth. The study also showed that the possibility for gynecomastia was stronger with Risperdal than with other antipsychotic medications.

The study revealed some female children taking the medication lactated before puberty. In 2008, several more reports surfaced claiming Risperdal stimulated the production of prolactin in boys, leading to lactation.

In 2010, a man who took Risperdal for five years filed a lawsuit against J&J after he developed breasts. By 2012, over 400 more Risperdal lawsuits were filed in courts throughout the country, and 130 of these lawsuits involved plaintiffs suffering from gynecomastia.

All of the lawsuits claimed that the drug makers failed to provide adequate warning labels of the side effects. Lawyers claimed that the company downplayed the danger of breast growth in adults and children.

In February, 2015, a young man who developed large breasts after taking Risperdal won a $2.5 million verdict against Johnson & Johnson. The jury found J&J negligent of failing to adequately warn users of specific side effects, particularly the risk of developing breast tissue.

In 2012 Johnson & Johnson was forced to pay $158 million to settle claims that they defrauded the Texas Medicaid program by marketing Risperdal for unapproved uses.

Johnson & Johnson advertised the drug as being effective in the treatment of psychiatric conditions in children, and the drug maker continued to illegally market the drug until its approval for pediatric use in 2006. Other million-dollar verdicts have been seen in recent years against Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Johnson & Johnson.

Risperdal Settlements

Risperdal litigation is heating up, and many Risperdal injury lawsuits are scheduled for trial as consumers and patients have claimed the drug has caused serious kidney damage and gynecomastia, a condition where young men develop breasts.

Attorneys allege that drug manufacturers often fail to properly test their product before they are marketed and sold to consumers, leading to preventable injuries. Victims may seek compensation and recover funds that may include past and future medical bills, lost wages, and damages related to pain and suffering.

The Lyon Firm is now reviewing Risperdal Gynecomstia claims as well as cases involving other serious Risperdal side effects. Recent settlements and verdicts have indicated that Risperdal injury lawsuits can be valuable and can compensate plaintiffs in a wide variety of cases.

Johnson & Johnson faces thousands of Risperdal lawsuits, with patients complaining of gynecomstia—developing breasts—as well as other severe side effects. J&J has faced scrutiny over anti-psychotic drugs, along with Eli Lilly, who paid $1.4 billion in 2009 for improperly marketing Zyprexa. AstraZeneca paid $520 million in 2010 to resolve marketing issues with Seroquel.

In 2013, Johnson & Johnson paid $2.2 billion in fines to settle accusations of illegally marketing Risperdal to dementia patients in nursing homes and to children with behavioral disabilities.

The Lyon Firm is accepting cases of Risperdal injury, and will review your case if you or a loved one has taken Risperdal and suffered with kidney issues, gynecomastia, or other serious side effects.