Risperdal Lawsuits in Tacoma

Thursday November 21, 2024

Risperdal lawsuits are now pending to compensate male breast growth victims in Tacoma and nationwide. The development of abnormally large breasts in males is known as gynecomastia. Medical studies have confirmed that Risperdal poses a heightened risk of gynecomastia when the drug is administered to children and adolescents.

Our Risperdal lawyers are investigating whether the drug's manufacturer failed to properly warn Tacoma physicians and consumers about gynecomastia side effects in young patients. The manufacturer may have also promoted Risperdal for use in children and adolescents before the FDA approved the drug for such use, putting Tacoma patients at further risk.

To consult an experienced Risperdal attorney about your potential claim, call (888) 849-5117 or send a message using our brief online form at any time.

Male Breast Growth from Risperdal

Risperdal (or risperidone) is known as an atypical antipsychotic medication. More specifically, risperidone is a potent dopamine D2-receptor antagonist. The drug was first approved in 1993 for sale in Tacoma and other U.S. markets for the short-term treatment of adults with schizophrenia. The drug was additionally approved in 2003 to treat adults with manic or mixed episodes related to bipolar disorder. In 2006, the FDA approved Risperdal to treat children and adolescents with autism, and later to treat young patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Medical studies have shown, however, that Risperdal can strongly increase blood prolactin levels when administered to adolescents in Tacoma or any other area where the drug is prescribed. An elevated level of the hormone prolactin in the blood is known as hyperprolactinemia and can result in serious clinical consequences such as male breast growth (or gynecomastia).

In a detailed statistical study, FDA researchers compared adverse event reports in seven widely used antipsychotic medications. The study concluded that among the seven drugs, risperidone accounted for 63% of all cases of gynecomastia in men, and 82% of all adverse event reports among children and adolescents.

Tacoma Lawsuits Allege Illegal Risperdal Promotion

The manufacturer of Risperdal has already been subjected to lawsuits from various states and the federal government over the company's sales and marketing of Risperdal. The government lawsuits seek to recover money paid by Medicare and Medicaid for Risperdal that was improperly prescribed to young patients. The lawsuits allege that Johnson & Johnson conducted prohibited promotional activities to encourage physicians to prescribe Risperdal before it was FDA-approved for use in children and adolescents in 2006.

Risperdal lawsuits by gynecomastia victims in Tacoma and nationwide similarly allege that J&J's "off-label" promotion put young users at an increased risk of harmful side effects. Breast growth lawsuits further allege failure to warn, negligence, design defect, and breach of warranties to Tacoma and other U.S. consumers.

Consultation for Tacoma Risperdal Victims

The risperidone attorneys at our firm are national leaders in complex pharmaceutical litigation. We understand the difficulties gynecomastia and other Risperdal side effects can cause for young patients already confronting schizophrenia, autism, bipolar or other disorders. An experienced Risperdal lawyer at our firm can be reached at (888) 849-5117 or with our online form for a consultation at any time.

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