The growing Risperdal litigation includes claims that taking Risperdal caused the development of male breasts, or gynecomastia, in boys and men. The pending lawsuits continue to proceed in mass tort Risperdal litigation in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. According to a September 24, 2014 Order, the Court has rescheduled the next three trials, the first of which was slated to begin on September 29, 2014; that case has been pushed back to November 3, 2014. The second trial has been moved from November 3, 2014 to January 3, 2015, and the third trial will begin on a yet-to-be determined date in February 2015.
What is Risperdal?
Risperdal is an antipsychotic medication manufactured and marketed by Johnson & Johnson. It is used in the treatment of bipolar mania, schizophrenia, and irritability associated with autism. Risperdal is approved for use in adolescents in children, although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns that antipsychotics may increase a child’s risk of developing certain adverse effects due to risperidone, including galactorrhea, or the production of breast milk, and gynecomastia, or male breast enlargement.
Plaintiffs Allege Male Breast Growth in Risperdal Litigation
Patients throughout the U.S. may consider joining the Risperdal litigation if they developed male breasts that they feel was caused by the drug. More than 700 Risperdal cases are currently proceeding in the Pennsylvania litigation, and each of these complaints filed on young boys, claim that the drug caused serious side effects, including gynecomastia.
New Studies Suggest Possible Risperdal, Breast Growth Link
In a study published on August 6, 2014 in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, researchers found that older men who took Risperdal to treat symptoms of various conditions were 69 percent more likely to develop breasts than those who do not take antipsychotics. Researchers believed that increased prolactin levels in Risperdal may have caused hormonal changes that contributed to the increase in breast tissue.
Risperdal has been linked to other potential conditions as well. One study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in September 2014 found that children taking psychiatric drugs may face a three-fold increased risk of developing diabetes, compared to children who do not use the drugs. An August 2013 study found similar results, noting that side effects of these medications tripled the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Contact Attorney Group Today
If you or a loved one took Risperdal and developed gynecomastia, you could be entitled to recover damages for your condition. To schedule a free case evaluation, please contact Attorney Group. We can help determine if you have a case, and we can connect you with an affiliated gynecomastia attorney who can assist you in seeking the compensation to which you may be entitled. Call today.
