DALLAS (PRWEB) July 08, 2014
Parties involved in lawsuits regarding the anti-psychotic drug Risperdal are scheduled to meet in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas to hold a conference to discuss moving litigation forward, the national law firm of Baron and Budd reports. The plaintiffs in the lawsuits accuse Janssen Pharmaceuticals, as well as parent company Johnson & Johnson, of allegedly failing to properly warn users of Risperdal about the risk of developing gynecomastia, which is a condition that results in abnormal breast growth in males. (Risperdal Litigation, case number 100300296)
Court documents show that plaintiffs have filed more than 500 Risperdal lawsuits in Pennsylvania state courts alleging that the drug has caused gynecomastia as well as other side effects. According to the lawsuits, Risperdal results in the production of prolactin in male users. Prolactin is a hormone more typically associated with the production of milk in women as well as the development of breasts in young girls. As a result, males using the drug have had to undergo mastectomy and liposuction procedures in order to remove excessive amounts of breast tissue. The Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology published a study in 2006 that showed there was a heightened risk of developing gynecomastia among male adolescents who took Risperdal. (http://journals.lww.com/psychopharmacology/Abstract/2006/04000/Risperidone_induced_Symptomatic.10.aspx)
The drug is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in adolescents 10-17 years of age as well as adults. It is also used to treat irritability in children 5-16 years of age who suffer from disorders related to autism. (http://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch/safetyinformation/ucm262813.htm)
The U.S. Department of Justice pursued claims against Johnson & Johnson and Janssen that resulted in the companies agreeing to a $2.2 billion settlement in November of 2013. The payment was in response to claims that Risperdal was improperly marketed in 2006 for both pediatric use as well as the treatment of dementia in elderly patients. This is in addition to hundreds of product liability lawsuits that accused the companies of promoting Risperdal for uses not approved by the FDA. (U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 04-cv-1529)
“It is encouraging to see that Risperdal litigation is moving forward,” said Laura Baughman, shareholder at national law firm Baron and Budd. “Hopefully, our clients and many others who have been harmed through the use of this drug will soon see a positive conclusion to this case.”
If you or someone you know has suffered gynecomastia or any other side effects after taking Risperdal, the national law firm of Baron and Budd may be of assistance. To learn more, go to http://baronandbudd.com/areas-of-practice/pharmaceuticals/risperdal-lawsuit/ or call 866-472-9108.
ABOUT BARON & BUDD, P.C.
The attorneys at Baron and Budd have been Protecting What’s Right for consumers for more than 35 years. Over the years, our national law firm has built a successful track record representing people who have been harmed by corporate wrongdoing. The firm’s pharmaceutical lawyers recently represented over 7,000 patients harmed by using the drug Avandia. Previously, Baron & Budd played a prominent role in litigation related to the diet drug Fen-Phen. As a result, the case settled for an amount valued at more than $1.275 billion (In Re Diet Drugs (Phentermine | Fenfluramine | Dexfenfluramine) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 1203 (E.D. Pa.).