Gynecomastia, also called male breast growth or “man boobs,” is a medical condition in which male patients develop female-like breasts. It is often caused by hormone disruptions, which can be triggered by medications.

Symptoms

The main symptom of gynecomastia is the breast growth. However, males with this affliction sometimes suffer from other breast-related pain either before or during the process of growing breasts. Swelling in the chest, as well as pain or tenderness, can be warning signs of the early stages of gynecomastia. Additionally, males may experience discharges at the nipple.

Causes

Gynecomastia can theoretically occur whenever hormones levels become imbalanced. In human males, usually there are more androgens (a class of hormones that include testosterone) than estrogens. This can change happen as males age. In fact, the rates of naturally-occurring gynecomastia tend to peak between the ages of 50 and 80, a time in the lives of men when their bodies naturally start producing less testosterone. The disorder may also occur during puberty, when hormone levels are fluctuating. However, in preteen males, the condition usually goes away on its own in six months to two years.

Drugs are a well-known cause of gynecomastia. A variety of drugs have been implicated in gynecomastia cases, including antidepressants and antibiotics. The antipsychotic Risperdal has recently come under fire. It has been alleged that the drug’s manufacturers were aware of these risks but failed to protect the public.

Risperdal Off-Label Issues

Before a company may market a drug in the United States, drug companies must test the drugs for safety and efficacy to the FDA’s rigorous standards. A drug is typically approved to treat specific illnesses. Risperdal was originally developed as a drug to treat schizophrenia and related disorders. However, it was also found (and went through the approval process) to treat bipolar disorder and irritability/aggression associated with autism.

U.S. law allows physicians to prescribe drugs for off-label uses. This can be important with certain drugs. For example, many drugs originally designed for depression have been found to treat seizures and vice versa. To help patients during the time it takes drug companies to get drugs approved for these new uses, physicians are allowed to prescribe drugs for purposes other than their FDA-approved uses. In some cases, this can allow patients to get needed medication.

But it is forbidden for drug companies to promote these off-label uses for their drugs. It has been alleged that the makers of Risperdal aggressively promoted off-label uses for their drug, including treating dementia patients, and others.

Gynecomastia Lawsuits

The makers of Risperdal are currently facing dozens of lawsuits over alleged complications related to Risperdal. This includes allegations that the drug can cause the growth of breasts in males. The manufacturers have already agreed to several multimillion dollar settlements in early cases.

The litigation against the makers of Risperdal may take the form of either a class action lawsuit or a multidistrict litigation or MDL. Class action lawsuits and MDLs are both types of group lawsuits in which a group of people (the plaintiffs) allege that they have suffered similar harm from the same person or company (the defendant). The main difference is that in a Risperdal class action lawsuit, a group of plaintiffs file the lawsuit as a group, while in MDLs, individual plaintiffs typically file their own lawsuits, which are later coordinated into a single legal action.