The correlation between Invega and gyecomastia has become a concern within the medical community, as an increasing number of male patients report developing man boobs. Invega is a popular antipsychotic medication used to treat extreme mental disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorders in adult and adolescent patients.

However, recent reports of Invega and gynecomastia have made some patients reconsider whether they should take the medication. Invega and gycomeastia is a problem in both young boys and older men, with patients developing male breast tissue after starting their prescriptions.

According to a review of natioanal health data, researchers found that male Invega and Risperdal patients had a 69% higher chance of developing gynecomastia. Over one million male patients’ data was collected from the IMS LifeLink Health Plans. Between 2001 and 2011, 8,285 cases of gynecomastia were reported from men aged between 45 and 80 years old.

Researchers concluded that physicians should use different medications to treat schizophrenia, medications that have a lesser chance of developing gynecomastia.

Overview of Invega and Gynecomastia Correlation

Invega is a second generation antipsychotic approved by the FDA in 2003. It is important to note that Invega is a metabolite of Risperdal, which means that it is the chemical core of Risperdal that remains after the body metabolizes the medication.

Invega has the same treatment mechanism of Risperdal, but the body metabolizes it differently. Invega was approved around the same time that Risperdal was approved to treat children. Risperdal was originally approved by the FDA in 1993, and then only for adult patients.

Both medications are manufactured by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary. Sales of both these medication have been substantial. However, even though Invega and Risperdal are now approved to treat children, significant physical deformities may develop in young male patients.

Even though Risperdal was not approved to treat children until the mid 2000s, doctors often prescribed the medication to treat children for off label treatment purposes. Furthermore, Invega is also often prescribed off-label to treat conditions like ADHD, anxiety, sleep problems, and depression.

Invega and Risperdal work by balancing serotonin and dopamine, the chemical for pleasure and reward sensations, in the brain to produce ideal mood balance. Consequently, Risperdal and Invega naturally increase the prolactin levels in the body.

Prolactin is the hormone primarily responsible for breast development in adolescent girls, and it is naturally produced in small amounts in boys. However, this effect on prolactin is where the alleged correlation between Invega and gynecomastia occurs, as increased prolactin in young boys may lead to male breast growth.

Even though Invega and gynecomastia may lead to serious problems for patients, Janssen Pharmaceuticals had allegedly failed to adequately disclose this potential link to the general public.

Patients who suffered Invega gynecomastia may be able to file legal action against the manufacturing company. Potential claimants should contact an experienced pharmaceutical liability lawyer to determine eligibility for an Invega gynecomastia lawsuit.