On June 3, 2014, Judge Arnold New, who is presiding over a host of consolidated Risperdal lawsuits in the Philadelphia area, ruled that the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals will not be held liable for punitive damages by Class Members.

However, this does not mean that individuals who have suffered side effects from taking Risperdal cannot still file a Risperdal lawsuit. In fact, adolescent males who have developed gynecomastia after taking Risperdal are encouraged to pursue a Risperdal gynecomastia class action lawsuit, since they can still pursue compensatory damages for any incurred medical expenses and treatments used to treat their Risperdal gynecomastia.

Janssen Pharmaceuticals is insistent that all consumers were made suitably aware of the possibility of developing gynecomastia. The company continues to push to remove hundreds of Risperdal lawsuits based on the statute of limitations.

What is Gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia is the medical term for male breast growth, typically seen in some adolescent boys, also known as man boobs. While this can usually occur naturally as a result of low testosterone, in the case of Risperdal users there is a high rate of adolescent male Risperdal consumers developing gynecomastia. These individuals reportedly did not have a history of low testosterone and did not have a medical or genetic predisposition to gynecomastia.

While gynecomastia is physically benign, it is the source of great psychological and emotional stress for young men and may lead to issues with body image and body acceptance.

Some symptoms of gynecomastia include:

• Nipple discharge
• Tenderness in the breast area
• Pain in breast tissue
• Swelling of breast tissue and nipples

What is Risperdal?

Risperdal (generic, risperidone), is an atypical, antipsychotic medication. It was first produced and distributed in the medical community in 1993 and has been used by thousands of individuals suffering from mental disorders ever since. Risperdal is used to treat certain mental health disorders including: schizophrenia, bipolar mania, and occasionally autistic disorder.

Because Risperdal is designed to block dopamine in order to manage certain mental disorders, an individual’s pituitary gland may release prolactin as a response. The prolactin hormone then stimulates milk production, which in men results in gynecomastia.

History of Risperdal Lawsuits

The reports of Risperdal gynecomastia cases and gynecomastia class action lawsuits are not the first allegations brought against Janssen Pharmaceuticals. In 2011, Johnson & Johnson was mandated to pay millions of dollars in legal fees by the federal government for deceptive marketing and inappropriate labeling of Risperdal.

Additionally, on Nov. 4, 2013, Janssen pleaded guilty for the misbranding and filing false claims for Risperdal. As a result, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration mandated that the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary pay $1.6 billion in legal settlements for Class Members and individuals plaintiffs.