Jury Finds Risperdal Caused Plaintiff’s Gynecomastia, But Awards No Financial Damages
On Friday, March 20th, the jury for the latest Risperdal personal injury lawsuit ruled that Johnson & Johnson failed to warn doctors and patients of the risks of using Risperdal for off-label prescriptions, which led to the plaintiff’s gynecomastia; however, the jury did not award financial damages to the plaintiff because they did not see a direct link between the drug and the victim’s female breast tissue growth.
The three-week trial involved plaintiff William Cirba, 19, a resident of Pennsylvania. His Risperdal case was not part of the larger multidistrict litigation (MDL). Cirba claimed he took Risperdal to treat his psychosis intermittently until 2007. He believes his prescription led to a hormonal imbalance that caused him to develop gynecomastia – a condition in which female breast tissue, not just fat deposits, grows in a boy.
“Within a month, Janssen has twice been found to have failed to warn physicians treating mentally disabled and adolescents of the risks of this powerful anti-psychotic drug,” Cirba’s attorney said.
Risperdal first went on the market in the US in 1994 to treat psychosis in adults. However, many doctors and pediatricians note that they began receiving promotions from Janssen, a subsidiary of J&J, to prescribe the drug for off-label uses as early as 1999 – including in children with autism and psychoses, as well as elderly patients in nursing homes with dementia-related psychosis. While the drug was approved for use in children in 2006, it still has not been approved for use in the elderly.
“The ‘new’ 2006 label did not then and does not now adequately warn prescribing physicians, parents and the public about the dangers of Risperdal to protect children and adolescents,” an attorney not involved with Cirba’s case stated. “The warnings should be changed radically, right now … All research and documents should be made public. We must protect children, the elderly, and others at risk who don’t have resources to challenge the pharmaceutical companies on their own.”
Risperdal Patients Suffer Several Side Effects
Risperidone, known as Risperdal, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and irritability in individuals who have autism. However, it has been prescribed for off-label use in children for decades, and has recently been employed by nursing homes as a form of chemical restraint, which is illegal.
Symptoms of gynecomastia, the growth female breast tissue in men or boys who take Risperdal, include:
- swollen breast gland tissue
- tenderness in one or both of the breasts
- swollen nipples
- darkened or reddish skin around the nipples
And you have been diagnosed with gynecomastia by a physician, you may have a Risperdal personal injury case. Contact a Risperdal personal injury attorney for help with questions or concerns.
The Strom Law Firm Defends Risperdal Gynecomastia Victims
If you or a male loved one were prescribed Risperdal to treat childhood psychoses and have since developed gynecomastia or other side effects from off-label use of the drug, you may be eligible for compensation. The dangerous drug attorneys at the Strom Law Firm are investigating Risperdal cases for negligence, failure to warn, and personal injury. Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation involving the facts of your case. 803.252.4800
