As Risperdal litigation continues throughout the country, patients are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about the devastating side effects this drug can have. This includes parents and their children, who may have been perspective Risperdal users as well as potential gynecomastia victims.

In a recent case from Boston, a young patient refused Risperdal despite it being a part of his routine treatment for years at the psychiatric ward of the VA hospital.

This hospital is dedicated to offering a full range of services for homeless veterans, including housing and different mood stabilizing medications. The patient stated that he had been previously on Risperdal, but had opted to switch for a different drug after reading Risperdal could induce gynecomastia in young boys.

The patient describes putting up a fight against his routine injection, and that the hospital’s regulations state that he and other patients had the right to refuse medication. Luckily, he managed to speak to his doctor before any other issues occurred and managed to warn his physician of Risperdal side effects.

Before the patient described Risperdal gynecomastia, his physician was not even aware that it had been a possibility; the manufacturing companies did not notify the medical staff, nor were there any warnings or indications on the drug’s label.

Unfortunately, this warning did not come fast enough, as the patient grew male breasts. It has been a year since he stopped the drug, but the unwanted Risperdal male breast growth is still present. This patient had been prescribed Risperdal to treat his bipolar disorder, but this drug had inadvertently put him at risk for gynecomastia.

It is alarming that the patient had been more knowledgeable about the medication in this case than his own physician. Legal experts state that while companies have the civil responsibility of warning consumers, doctors have the civil responsibility of being fully aware of potential drug hazards.

On the other hand, Risperdal manufacturing companies have been criticized for years for not including proper labeling on their drug and for allegedly advertising it for off-label purposes. While it is not illegal for doctors to prescribe medications for off-label purposes, it is illegal for companies to advertise them for such reasons.

What is Risperdal?

Risperdal is a highly powerful antipsychotic that works by channeling the brain chemical dopamine, the chemical primarily responsible for the brain’s pleasure and reward sensors. Dopamine is manufactured in the body’s pituitary gland, along with other hormones and chemicals vital to a patient’s development in life; this is especially true in growing pediatric patients.

Experts explain that the hormone prolactin is also manufactured in the pituitary gland, which is primarily responsible for breast development in young girls. While prolactin is naturally produce in young boys, it is increased exponentially when Risperdal interferes with the natural production.

Overview of Risperdal Gynecomastia Concerns

Risperdal was originally approved by the FDA in 1993 to treat extreme mental disorders in adult patients like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. However, Risperdal was allegedly marketed towards children a little after its release, allegedly once its manufacturing companies saw the popularity in off-label pediatric prescriptions.

The manufacturing companies, Bayer Pharmaceuticals and Johnson & Johnson’s subsidiary, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, had reportedly advertised Risperdal to the pediatric market, despite not knowing the risks it would have on children. It was not until over a decade after its release that it was officially approved to treat children, along with being approved to treat certain forms of autism.

Ideally, Risperdal would allow patients to live a relatively normal life without having to worry about their mental conditions. Unfortunately, this has not been the case for many patients, as they are forced to contend with the semi-permanent condition of gynecomastia. Additionally, many patients have to resort to surgery to have the breast tissue removed.

For failing to warn patients of this Risperdal side effect, many have opted to file legal action against Bayer and Janssen. There are currently about 1,300 consolidated Risperdal lawsuits centered in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.