Thursday, February 13, 2014

Risperdal Drug Lawsuits

The antipsychotic drug Risperdal has been primarily prescribed to people with schizophrenia or bipolar disorders. It was not initially prescribed for children, but doctors and pharmaceutical firms, and their representatives don’t care about that inconvenience. Pushing pharma drugs for unapproved uses has been the norm for firms like GSK, and Abbott Labs. Johnson & Johnson is the manufacturer of Risperdal and they admit that it can cause breasts in young men and boys (gynecomastia). News Reports and law suits indicate that Risperdal increases the hormone prolactin. This hormone normally stimulates breast production and milk production for females. Risperdal Male breast growth is so prevalent that J&J acknowledged that 80+% of bipolar and schizophrenia patients experience an increase in prolactin, while upwards of 50% of autistic patients show the increase of prolactin. Why was this not brought up in their studies before this drug was approved? Why would the FDA approved a drug with this type of result where upwards of 80% of patients show an increase of prolactin. What does such an increase do to females as well?

There are several law firms taking on J&J in class action lawsuits. These lawsuits may also include the generic version of Risperdal which is Risperidone. We are not sure why a doctor would consider this drug with this information, but parents should be informed about the physical side effects of this drug, and the harm a child can have mentally after learning they are producing breasts. A psychiatrist would simply prescribe another drug or counter the effects of this. Right!

Law firms you can consult who are addressing this matter can be easily found by an internet search of Risperdal class action lawsuits.