Johnson & Johnson Faces Numerous, Serious Personal Injury Lawsuits Due to Taking Risperdal
In September, Johnson & Johnson issued a recall notice for Risperdal Consta, a long-acting form of the anti-psychotic drug, Risperdal. At the time, the pharmaceutical manufacturer believed that there were no injuries as a result of taking the long-acting form of the drug. Now, there are a growing number of lawsuits against J&J due to serious side effects related to taking Risperdal.
Currently, at least 230 Risperdal lawsuits are pending in a mass tort proceeding, which is underway in Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. However, there are more personal injury lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson pending in state courts all over the country. All of the lawsuits allege that Risperdal can increase hormone levels in boys and young men, which can lead to several long-term problems, as well as male breast development.
In one particular lawsuit, the plaintiff, who is now 18 years old, began taking Risperdal at only 7 years old – between 2002 and 2008. At the time he began using the anti-psychotic, it was not approved for use in children or adolescents – the FDA would not approve Risperdal for pediatric use until 2006. The plaintiff claims that J&J subsidiary Janssen promoted Risperdal’s use in children with criminal and reckless disregard for their welfare. The plaintiff is also suing non-Johnson & Johnson publishers of scientific materials, which claim that pediatric use of Risperdal is safe. He accuses them of conveying false information and misleading materials about the safety of Risperdal.
The plaintiff, whose case is in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, says that as a result of using Risperdal as a child, he suffered rapid weight gain, serious and permanent injury to his endocrine and sexual systems, gynecomastia, as well as other permanent physical and emotional damages. His lawsuit alleges that Janssen and J&J committed negligence, fraud, failure to warn, strict product liability, breach of express and implied warranties, conspiracy against defendants, and violation of the Illinois Unfair Trade Practices Act.
Other lawsuits, including one in South Carolina, allege that Risperdal can increase the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, as well as make existing diabetes worse.
The drugmaker’s executives “allowed the profit-at-all- costs mentality to cloud” their judgment in connection with the drug’s marketing campaign and its labeling, Judge Roger Couch said in his 17-page ruling. Couch stated that the letter was “a clever effort” to “manipulate the message” about the dangerous drug.
The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Dangerous Drug Cases
The Strom Law Firm, L.L.C. is a leader in the consumer protection battle against dangerous prescription drugs and medical devices, like Risperdal. We represent individuals who have been killed or injured by dangerous or defective pharmaceuticals. If you or a family member have been injured or killed after using a dangerous drugs or medical products such as Risperdal, contact our dangerous drug lawyers as soon as possible so that we can begin taking steps to preserve evidence and your claim immediately. We offer free consultations to discuss the facts of your case. 803.252.4800
