A $1 million Risperdal lawsuit award has been given to a 24-year-old who suffered from gynecomastia.

The plaintiff, Shaquil B., was 9 years old when he was diagnosed with psychosis. Based on this diagnosis, Shaquil was given a prescription for Risperdal by his doctor.

Shaquil experienced male breast growth just months after he started taking the medication. Shaquil underwent surgery when he was 21 years old to have the excess breast tissue removed. He said he endured teasing and bullying as a male child who had visible breasts.

The verdict is one of the few to be tried outside Philadelphia, where 6,000 Risperdal lawsuits sit in a mass tort in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. A Risperdal lawsuit award has ranged from $500,000 to $70 million, but many cases settle out of court prior to trial.

Shaquil’s Risperdal lawsuit award consists of $500,000 for current pain and suffering and another $500,000 for future pain and suffering. The Risperdal lawsuit award for Shaquil recognizes the gravity of the side effects he endured.

Risperdal Lawsuit Award Highlights Drug’s Side Effects

The FDA approved Risperdal in 1993 to treat schizophrenia. Over the years, the drug has been prescribed to treat a wider range of mental health issues.

Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals makes Risperdal, which belongs to a class of drugs known as dopamine antagonists. Risperdal binds to the dopamine receptors in the front of the brain where they are responsible for controlling emotions, perceptions, and impulsivity. Research has pointed to dopamine overactivity as the cause of schizophrenia and other mental experiences that include breaks from reality.

Risperdal works by blocking dopamine receptors.  Dopamine is a neurotransmitter responsible for monitoring prolactin levels produced by the pituitary gland.  Higher levels of prolactin are necessary in pregnant women in order for them to produce breast milk. Due to Risperdal’s effects on dopamine receptors, men taking Risperdal may experience increased levels of prolactin.

When Risperdal causes abnormally high levels of prolactin in young men, the condition is called hyperprolactinemia. Hyperprolactinemia spurs the growth of breasts in men, a condition called gynecomastia. Sometimes, these newly developed breasts even produce a milky substance.

Weight gain is another side effect of Risperdal, but weight loss will not necessarily coincide with breast reduction. This is because the breast tissue induced by the medication is largely made up of glandular tissue, not just fatty tissue. Glandular tissue can only be reduced through surgical means.

According to a report released by the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Safety Authority, more than 90 percent of Risperdal patients experience increased prolactin levels, which also can cause pituitary tumors. Risperdal allegedly causes 70 percent of all pituitary tumors, says the medical journal Pharmacotherapy, which reviewed the FDA’s adverse effects reports regarding Risperdal. Because increased prolactin levels cause the pituitary gland to grow larger, hormone interference spurs tumor development and breast growth.

If you have experienced Risperdal side effects such as gynecomastia or pituitary tumors, you could benefit from speaking with an attorney regarding your options to pursue compensation.

The Risperdal Award Lawsuit is Case No. 1:14-cv-00820 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York at Syracuse.