If you have taken Risperdal and you feel that the medication caused you to develop gynecomastia, pneumonia, heart disease or other negative side effect, contact Attorney Group for Georgia today. A Georgia Risperdal attorney can be an advocate for you and help make the process of obtaining compensation for your injuries easier.
Why is Risperdal Prescribed?
Manufactured and marketed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, Risperdal is used to treat bipolar disorder in patients over the age of 10, schizophrenia in teenagers and adults, and irritability in children between the ages of five and 16 who have been diagnosed with autistic disorder. The FDA approved the medication in 1993. Risperdal’s patent expired in 2004, and Teva Pharmaceuticals began to sell a generic equivalent in 2008. According to Risperdal’s label, medical experts do not quite understand how the medication works, although this is typically the case in drugs of this type. Some speculate that the drug blocks serotonin and dopamine receptors in the brain.
Ripserdal May Cause Life-Threatening Side Effects
The FDA requires that Risperdal come with a black box warning to inform consumers of the increased risk of death in elderly patients taking the medication, and the agency does not approve the drug for treating elderly patients with dementia. Additionally, several medical studies have reported that Risperdal may cause Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome and tardive dyskinesia, an irreversible condition characterized by involuntary facial movements. A Georgia Risperdal attorney can help you to recover compensation if you experienced these or other side effects while taking Risperdal.
The most common side effect experienced by Risperdal patients is that of gynecomastia. In April 2013, a medical journal released an article that found that gynecomastia has a negative impact on the psychosocial well-being of affected children, specifically in terms of self-esteem, mental health and social functioning. If you or someone you know have suffered from Risperdal side effects, contact a Georgia Risperdal attorney today.
Like other antipsychotic medications, Risperdal is labeled with a suicide warning, and its “Pregnancy” section informs consumers and physicians that Risperdal may cause withdrawal symptoms in newborns including tremors, agitation, respiratory distress, sleep disturbances and muscle complications.
Risperdal Causes Controversy
In January 2010, the U.S. Department of Justice, state attorney generals and whistleblowers filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson, alleging that the manufacturer paid $50 million in kickbacks to a pharmaceutical company to sell the medication to nursing homes between 1999 and 2004. In the same year, investors filed a separate lawsuit against the drug maker in New Jersey federal court. This case was settled in July 2012 for $2.2 billion.
Massachusetts filed suit in August 2011 against the manufacturer, claiming that the company promoted its product for off-label uses and neglected to disclose serious and life-threatening side effects including gynecomastia, an increased risk of death in elderly patients and diabetes. Several other states have filed similar claims against Johnson & Johnson.
Johnson & Johnson reportedly paid a $2.2 billion settlement to the U.S. Department of Justice in November 2013 to resolve criminal and civil fines due to the company’s improper marketing of Risperdal to people with disabilities, the elderly and children between 1999 and 2005. According to records, it was at the time the country’s third-largest pharmaceutical settlement in history.
Janssen recalled 16,000 bottles of Risperdal in June 2011 due to a musty odor coming from a pesticide that was in the pallets used to move the product. Around this time, the FDA issued a drug safety warning to alert physicians and the public that some pharmacists and healthcare providers had mistaken Risperdal for Requip, a medication prescribed to help those with Parkinson’s disease.
A Georgia Risperdal Attorney Can Help You to Pursue a Claim
Georgia Risperdal attorneys understand that the process of obtaining compensation for the harm you have suffered may be complicated. If you or a loved one have suffered from adverse side effects while taking Risperdal, contact Attorney Group for Georgia to learn more about how we can help. We will attempt to answer your questions and provide you with a free case evaluation. We can also connect you with an experienced Georgia Risperdal attorney.
