Risperdal Lawsuits Stress Demonstrated Link to Enlarged Breast Tissue in Males

Audet & Partners, LLP is investigating claims for serious personal injuries, including breast enlargement in males, tied to administration of the antipsychotic drug Risperdal.  Commonly prescribed to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and occasionally used off-label to address ADHD, Risperdal has been shown in several studies over the past fifteen years to be strongly linked to elevated levels of prolactin in males, a hormonal precursor to breast development and lactation in women.

This condition, referred to as Risperdal Gynecomastia, is irreversible.  Male sufferers must often endure several rounds of surgical intervention including liposuction and even mastectomy to completely remove excess breast tissue.

In 2012, settlements were reached between Johnson & Johnson and 6 of the approximately 130 young men who sued the company after developing breasts from taking Risperdal. The amount of compensation given was not released, but an attorney from one of the men told Bloomberg News that they were “satisfied” with the sum.

In February 2013, an Arkansas state judge ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $181 million to a Houston-based law firm in a lawsuit claiming Johnson & Johnson downplayed the risks of Risperdal.

In May of 2013, Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway announced a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson and subsidiaries for violating the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act by unfair, false, misleading, or deceptive labeling and promotion of Risperdal. The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief and civil penalties of up to $2,000 per violation and up to $10,000 per violation directed at consumers over age 60.

On November 4, 2013, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers announced that Colorado will receive approximately $7.7 million dollars from Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary, Janssen Pharmaceuticals in a settlement resolving allegations of illegal off-label marketing activities of the drugs Risperdal and Invega.

According to a press release issued by The United States Department of Justice, Johnson & Johnson also agreed to a $2.2 billion settlement in November 2013 over the alleged illegal marketing of Risperdal, a resolution recorded as one of the largest health care fraud settlements in U.S. history.

The law firm is no longer accepting clients in this case.

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