Johnson & Johnson faces numerous lawsuits alleging the company concealed knowledge that the company’s drug Risperdal — used for treating schizophrenia and bipolar disorder – causes male breast growth which can only be remedied through surgical removal.

Numerous Risperdal lawsuits have been filed against J&J, and the company’s Janssen Pharmaceuticals division, saying the drug causes gynecomastia — abnormal development of large breasts with mammary glands in males.

These Risperdal gynecomastia lawsuits allege the manufacturer did not sufficiently warn doctors and patients of the male breast growth problem – and that the company failed to properly share information with the FDA.

What Is Risperdal?

Risperdal is a prescription medication primarily used in the maintenance treatment of psychotic disorders—such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia—in teenagers 13 years and older, and adults. The drug is also used to manage symptoms of irritability in autistic children.

Risperdal is manufactured by Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., a division of the pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson. The generic name of the drug is risperidone. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it in late 1993.

Risperdal May Cause Male Breast Growth

Studies have shown that Risperdal tends to increase the levels of the hormone prolactin in boys and men who take the drug. The hormone prolactin plays an active role in the development of breasts in girls and in the production of a mother’s breast milk.

Teenage boys and men who are prescribed this drug may develop Risperdal side effects that include the condition known as gynecomastia—the enlargement of male breasts—which also presents with severe symptoms of breast tenderness, nipple pain and nipple discharge from one or both breasts.

In 2006, Duke University researchers found that the risk of male breast growth was stronger with Risperdal (risperidone) than with the other drugs in the same category (“atypical antipsychotics”). Risperdal accounted for 70 percent of the gynecomastia cases studied.

Risperdal breast tissue growth can be abnormally excessive, while the pain and discomfort can be severe, leading to the necessity for mastectomy or liposuction to relieve the condition. Even very limited growth of breast tissue can have a harmful psychological affect in boys and young men, producing low self-esteem, severe depression and tremendous social strain.

In April 2013, the medical journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery published an article finding that gynecomastia has “a significant negative impact on primarily the psychosocial well-being of affected adolescent patients, specifically in regard to social functioning, mental health, and self-esteem.”

Risperdal Lawsuits

Medical research has found a connection between Risperdal and male breast growth (gynecomastia). If you or someone you know has taken Risperdal and has suffered the serious side effect of male breast growth as a result of using this defective drug, a lawsuit against the drug company Johnson & Johnson may be a valid option for you to seek compensation for hospital bills, surgical expenses, mental trauma, loss of income or productivity, pain and suffering and more.