The information used in the government’s investigation could also provide important evidence in lawsuits that allege a link between the use of Risperdal and gynecomastia, or male breast growth.
New York, New York (PRWEB) November 29, 2013
As Risperdal lawsuits (http://www.risperdallawsuitcenter.com/ ) continue to move forward in courts around the country, Bernstein Liebhard LLP notes that the federal government has granted a substantial award to a whistleblower who provided the U.S. Department of Justice with important information regarding Johnson & Johnson’s marketing of Risperdal. According to a report from the Chicago Tribune, information provided by the 74-year-old retired pharmacist aided in a Justice Department investigation that ultimately resulted in a $2.2 billion settlement with Johnson & Johnson. The Risperdal whistleblower, along with others who provided information vital to the governments’ investigation, will share in a $27.5 million portion of that settlement.*
“Information provided by whistleblowers is often the only way serious wrongdoing on the part of corporations comes to light. The information used in the government’s investigation could also provide important evidence in lawsuits that allege a link between the use of Risperdal and gynecomastia, or male breast growth,” says Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationwide law firm representing the victims of defective drugs and medical devices. The Firm is currently offering free Risperdal lawsuit consultations to any individual who may have developed gynecomastia due to their use of the drug.
Risperdal and Gynecomastia
The Johnson & Johnson settlement was announced by the Justice Department on November 4, 2013. Among other things, the government had charged that Risperdal was marketed for pediatric uses long before the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved such indications in 2006. Federal prosecutors also charged that the company knew that Risperdal posed serious risks to children, including an association with male breast growth. (U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 04-cv-1529)
According to court documents in the case, Johnson & Johnson and its Janssen Pharmaceuticals unit agreed to plead guilty to a criminal misdemeanor that it illegally marketed Risperdal for use in elderly dementia patients. However, the companies did not admit to any misconduct in resolving civil charges involving the marketing of the antipsychotic drug for use in children. The $2.2 billion settlement includes criminal fines and forfeiture of $485 million and civil penalties of $1.72 billion.
According to court documents, at least 250 Risperdal lawsuits are currently pending in a consolidated litigation underway in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania, all of which were filed on behalf of individuals who were allegedly harmed by the drug. A number of these claims involve allegations of a link between Risperdal and gynecomastia. (Risperdal Litigation, case number 100300296)
Alleged victims of Risperdal and gynecomastia may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. For more information on filing a Risperdal lawsuit, please visit Bernstein Liebhard LLP’s website. For a free, no-obligation review of your case, please call 800-511-5092.
- articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-11-04/business/ct-biz-1105-jnj-side-20131105_1_johnson-johnson-risperdal-controversial-federal-anti-fraud-law, Chicago Tribune, November 4, 2013
About Bernstein Liebhard LLP
Bernstein Liebhard LLP is a New York-based law firm exclusively representing injured persons in complex individual and class action lawsuits nationwide since 1993, including those who have been harmed by dangerous drugs, defective medical devices and consumer products. The firm has been named by The National Law Journal to the “Plaintiffs’ Hot List,” recognizing the top plaintiffs’ firms in the country, for the past 11 consecutive years.
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