Wisner Baum LLP has sued Johnson & Johnson, Janssen, and Eli Lilly for hiding breast cancer risks linked to antipsychotic drugs Risperdal, Invega, and Zyprexa. The complaint accuses the companies of following a "Big Pharma Playbook" of deceptive marketing and knowingly endangering women's health.
OAKLAND, Calif., July 30, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A recent complaint filed by Wisner Baum LLP accuses pharmaceutical giants Johnson & Johnson (J&J), Janssen, and Eli Lilly of using fraud, deceptive marketing, and research manipulation to sell more drugs at the expense of women's health. The suit, filed on behalf of California resident Bridgett Brown, alleges that widely prescribed antipsychotic medications Risperdal, Invega, and Zyprexa caused her to develop breast cancer due to hyperprolactinemia, or abnormally high levels of the hormone prolactin in the blood.
Wisner Baum's case cites decades of studies establishing clear links between elevated prolactin, these specific antipsychotic drugs, and breast cancer. One recent study of nearly 550,000 women revealed a 62% increased breast cancer risk for high-prolactin drugs like Risperdal and 54% increased risk for medium-prolactin drugs. (1)
The "Big Pharma Playbook"
"In what has come to be known as 'the Big Pharma Playbook,' these companies used a deceptive pattern of off-label marketing to increase sales for drugs developed to treat extreme psychotic conditions like schizophrenia," said Monique Alarcon, a Wisner Baum attorney working on this case. "Because schizophrenia and bipolar disorder affect only a small portion of the population, the companies sought a bigger market among doctors prescribing to elderly patients with dementia and many other people without schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who were told the potent psychiatric drugs would provide generalized "mood stabilization."
These disingenuous marketing efforts were used despite the drug makers knowing that these conditions can be addressed with widely available, safer, and more effective prescription drugs such as Abilify (aripiprazole), Clozaril (clozapine), Geodon (ziprasidone), and Seroquel (quetiapine).
The complaint outlines how the companies:
- Withheld and manipulated clinical trial data;
- Delayed publication of unfavorable studies;
- Funded ghostwritten and misleading research designed to downplay the drugs' cancer risks;
- Obstructed regulatory transparency by downplaying the biological mechanism—elevated prolactin production or hyperprolactinemia—known to fuel tumor growth.
- Failed to provide adequate warning about the breast cancer risks associated with taking these antipsychotic medications;
- Illegally promoted off-label uses, as confirmed by prior federal settlements totaling more than $3.6 billion. (2)
Deception is the Norm
Some of the strongest proof these drugmakers knew of potential harm comes from earlier legal cases. In 2009, Eli Lilly pled guilty and agreed to pay more than $1.4 billion to settle U.S. criminal and civil litigation based on the company's illegal marketing of Zyprexa. In 2013, Johnson & Johnson agreed to a $2.2 billion settlement over similar claims regarding Risperdal. Then, in 2019, J&J lost a tort case resulting in billions of dollars in punitive damages after a jury found the company failed to warn that Risperdal could cause young men to grow breasts—a side effect called hyperprolactinemia, the same condition now linked to increased breast cancer risk in women. These cases reveal a pattern: drugmakers are willing to market these drugs aggressively to meet their bottom line, despite the harm they can cause and the potential monetary damages they may have to pay out.
"Antipsychotic medications Risperdal, Invega, and Zyprexa are risky drugs for anyone to take," Alarcon said. "For those who were essentially targeted and could have been given safer, more suitable medications, this represents an unacceptable trend."
Wisner Baum Urges Victims to Come Forward in Pharma Case
The case, Brown v. Johnson & Johnson et al. (Case No. 25CV119808), seeks compensatory and punitive damages, alleging strict liability, negligence, and fraud.
If you or someone you know has developed breast cancer after taking Risperdal or Zyprexa, you may have a legal claim. Contact Wisner Baum to learn more or view the full complaint at http://www.wisnerbaum.com.
About Wisner Baum
Wisner Baum began with a simple but radical idea: that the law should serve people—not protect power. Since opening its doors in 1985, the firm has gone far beyond courtroom victories. Based in Los Angeles and known across the U.S., Wisner Baum has built its legacy by holding powerful corporations accountable — not just to win justice for individual clients, but to spark broader societal change.
Every case they take on — from catastrophic injuries and pharmaceutical failures to environmental toxicity and corporate negligence — is part of a bigger mission: to make the world safer, more just, and more transparent for everyone. With more than $4 billion in verdicts and settlements, their legal victories have helped raise public awareness, influence regulations, and force industries to clean up harmful practices. Their work has become a catalyst for product safety reforms, food transparency, and medical accountability.
Wisner Baum isn't just a law firm. It's a movement for change—where justice isn't the end goal, but the beginning of a safer society.
Wisner Baum: Changing the System for Societal Change, One Case at a Time.
Learn more at https://www.wisnerbaum.com.
References
1. Rahman T. et al., "Risk of breast Cancer with Prolactin‑elevating antipsychotic drugs: an observational study of US women (ages 18–64 years)", Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 2022.
2. Brown v. Johnson & Johnson et al. (Case No. 25CV119808)
Media Inquiries:
Karla Jo Helms
JOTO PR ™
727-777-4629
Jotopr.com
Media Contact
Karla Jo Helms, JOTO PR™, 727-777-4629, [email protected], jotopr.com
SOURCE Wisner Baum
Share this article