Risperdal lawsuits have been filed against Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals and are currently at the center of a mass legal action over the allegation that the medication can cause male patients to grow breasts, a condition called gynecomastia or “man boobs.” Additionally, other alleged side effects such as weight gain, may mask this symptom.

Risperdal, the trade name of risperidone, is an atypical antipsychotic. This means the drug belongs to a newer generation of drugs designed to treat schizophrenia.

Older antipsychotic drugs like Thorazine were usually powerful antidepressants that had a powerful sedating effect on patients, leaving them groggy with dulled responses. Though Risperdal belonged to a newer family of drugs, and was designed to have fewer side effects, the drug has been linked to a number of serious problems, including gynecomastia.

Risperdal side effects, especially in younger patients, can include dramatic weight gain and increase a patient’s risk of developing type-2 diabetes. The weight gain can make it more difficult to notice the growth of female-like breasts. Additionally, the typical Risperdal patients may have psychiatric issues and possibly problems communicating, further complicating a gynecomastia diagnosis, and making it harder for patients to receive the treatment they need for their condition.

Patients with schizophrenia are not the only patients who potentially took Risperdal. Like many psychiatric drugs, it was eventually discovered that the drug could treat other psychiatric issues, including bipolar disorder. The drug was also found to help treat irritability and aggression associated with autism. Though these drugs can be a godsend for some patients, they may risk weight gain, diabetes, and man boobs.

Gynecomastia can be an emotionally-scarring experience for young men and can be very embarrassing. In addition, it often requires surgical correction to restore the patient’s chest to its former state.

Risperdal lawsuits have been combined into a type of mass tort or group lawsuit called multidistrict litigation or MDL. MDLs are similar in some ways to class action lawsuits. In both MDLs and class action lawsuits, a number of plaintiffs allege that they have suffered similar harm at the hands of the same plaintiff. The Risperdal MDL has been coordinated through a federal court in Philadelphia, PA.

Drug lawsuits, like the litigation over alleged Risperdal man boobs, usually take the form of MDLs instead of class action lawsuits. This is because in drug lawsuits, like Risperdal lawsuits, usually have injuries that vary. Instead, people in drug lawsuits, like the Risperdal lawsuits, are more likely to file individual lawsuits. But these cases often make very similar allegations and present similar evidence, making them ideal for inclusion in a single MDL, like the Risperdal MDL.

The Risperdal MDL is formally titled In re: Risperdal Litigation, Case No. 100300296, filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.