Risperdal, a popular antipsychotic, has been widely used for many years. However, the adverse effects of Risperdal are causing many patients and parents of young patients to wonder if the benefits outweigh the side effects.

Risperdal, generically known as risperidone, was approved for use in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration in 1993 for adults and adolescents for the treatment of schizophrenia.

It was also approved later to treat bipolar disorder and certain types of autism spectrum disorders in both adults and young people. Many doctors also prescribe Risperdal off-label, or not for its approved use, for anxiety, sleep disorders, ADHD and depression.

Some types of autism with symptoms of aggression and irritability have been treated successfully with Risperdal.

Risperdal is manufactured by Johnson & Johnson’s subsidiary, Janssen Pharmaceuticals. In 2007, sales topped $4.5 billion for the company, but since then, sales have decreased. In the first twenty years that Risperdal was available for use in the U.S. market, Janssen reaped $18 billion in sales.

For many families of young boys who take Risperdal for such reasons, this is a drug that has worked wonders. However, many serious adverse effects of Risperdal rear their ugly heads as boys grow up.

Risperdal and Gynecomastia

Some studies have shown that one of the adverse effects of Risperdal include a condition known as gynecomastia. Gynecomastia is a condition in which males grow breasts comparable to the size of females’ breasts.

Risperdal has been known to increase the body’s production of a hormone called prolactin. Prolactin is present in both males and females but is more prevalent in females. Prolactin is the hormone that triggers breast growth in females and signals the body to produce milk in a pregnant or nursing woman.

When prolactin increases in a young boy or man, breast growth can occur. With Risperdal, this most often occurs in adolescent boys. Boys can grow breasts as large as D cups, and the condition may not be reversible except by surgery. It is not a matter of losing weight, but rather a matter of tissue growth in the breast area.

Boys who experience the adverse effects of Risperdal often suffer from social problems as well as embarrassment. Additionally, may young men need to undergo breast reduction surgery to fix the condition.

The adverse effects of Risperdal have been the subject of thousands of lawsuits from young men or the families of young men who have experienced this condition.

Many of these lawsuits have joined the larger mass tort litigation that has been set up in a Philadelphia court to address the adverse effects of Risperdal. This type of litigation is intended to streamline the process when hundreds or thousands of similar lawsuits have been filed. A single coordinated process can help cases move through the system quicker.

If you or someone you love has suffered from the adverse effects of Risperdal including gynecomastia, you may be eligible to file a Risperdal lawsuit. While monetary compensation cannot take away the pain and suffering from the adverse effects of Risperdal, it may help alleviate medical costs.