Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, are currently facing at least 1,600 Risperdal lawsuits in a Philadelphia court.

The Risperdal lawsuits allege that the antipsychotic drug caused numerous male patients to develop gynecomastia or male breast growth.

According to recent statistics from the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas Complex Litigation Center, the count was 1,606 Risperdal lawsuits filed as of November 2015. The number has continually been on the rise, with 95 additional Risperdal lawsuits filed in February 2016.

Ongoing litigation is looking favorable to the plaintiffs, as three of the four concluded Risperdal trials ending in victories for the claimants.

With each case of plaintiff victory, the jury concluded that the drug companies failed to warn patients against the possibility of man boobs developing in male children and adolescent patients.

Risperdal MDL History

Risperdal was initially approved by the FDA in 1993 to treat adult patients with extreme mental disorders. Even though it was not approved to treat adolescents or children until 2006, Risperdal was regularly prescribed off label to those patient populations by physicians.

However, a number of these male patients developed gynecomastia and were not warned of the risk until recently. This has resulted in a multidistrict litigation (MDL) against Johnson & Johnson, leading twelve Risperdal lawsuits to be put through discovery and sent to trial in 2016.

Overview of Risperdal Gynecomastia Complications

At this point in time, medical experts are unsure what may be triggering male breast growth after using Risperdal. However, many suspect it has to do with the drug’s treatment mechanism and how it interferes with the body’s natural hormone production.

Risperdal works by managing the brain’s dopamine levels, thereby interacting directly with the pituitary gland. This organ is primarily responsible for the hormonal waves the body goes through during puberty and adolescence, major stages of development in growing bodies.

This is important because Risperdal increases prolactin production. Prolactin is a hormone naturally produced in the body that is primarily responsible for breast development. While this hormone is primarily manufactured in growing young women, it is naturally produced in small amounts in both genders.

When Risperdal is prescribed to boys in the stages of puberty or adolescence, the drug triggers the body to produce excess amounts of prolactin. This results in numerous patients developing gynecomastia, with little treatment options available.

Most commonly, patients have the man boobs removed but often still suffer major psychological trauma from the effects of contending with male breast growth.

Johnson & Johnson allegedly knew about the risk of young male patients growing man boobs, but concealed this information from patients to protect the drug’s market value.

Numerous patients have filed Risperdal lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson, allegedly for various product liability claims and other charges. Patients who developed gynecomastia may be eligible to file legal actions against Johnson & Johnson, for failure to warn. Potential claimants should contact a specialized lawyer, to determine if they have a lawsuit.