A critical early Risperdal lawsuit has effectively been paused after the judge demanded more data from the drug’s makers.

In this Risperdal lawsuit, an 11 year-old boy allegedly grew female-like breasts, an alleged Risperdal side effect.

Doctors had prescribed the child Risperdal to try and control his Tourette’s Syndrome. The Risperdal gynecomastia lawsuit was recessed until Dec. 9 after the makers of Risperdal were ordered to provide more evidence for the boy’s attorneys to review.

According to allegations in this Risperdal lawsuit, the child gained weight while taking Risperdal, a well-documented side effect of the antipsychotic medication that was know to the young boy, his family, and his physicians.

However, the Risperdal lawsuit holds that it became clear that the young boy had suffered male breast growth, despite the fact that the drugs labeling said gynecomastia was a rare side effect of Risperdal among adults. The Risperdal lawsuit further alleges that the young boy suffered intense teasing and emotional trauma from the experience.

According to the Risperdal lawsuit, the young boy had to have reconstructive surgery to repair his chest and remove the female-like breasts. The boy’s lawyer further alleged that the makers of Risperdal were aware of the risk, saying: “they [Risperdal’s makers] didn’t tell doctors what they really knew, which was that there was a link.”

Risperdal is FDA approved to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and certain symptoms of autism. But the makers of Risperdal have faced mass legal action over allegations that the drug can cause gynecomastia, the growth of female-like breasts in males.

Cases within the larger Risperdal multidistrict litigation, there have been allegations that the makers of Risperdal were aware—or reasonably should have been aware—of the risk of gynecomastia and did not do enough to protect the public from this risk.

Risperdal Multidistrict Litigation

So many Risperdal lawsuits have been filed that the legal system has resorted to a process called a multidistrict litigation or MDL. In MDLs, similar lawsuits are grouped together to help streamline the legal process. In MDLs, earlier cases establish precedents that are applied to later Risperdal lawsuits within the MDL.

As such, the first Risperdal lawsuits to go to trial, called bellwether cases, are critical to later Risperdal lawsuits. Risperdal lawsuits may be suitable for inclusion in a Risperdal MDL, since most Risperdal lawsuits make similar allegations and hinge on similar evidence.

Risperdal lawsuits typically seek to recoup costs related to alleged Risperdal side effects, including reconstructive chest surgery, like the one allegedly required by the boy in this Risperdal lawsuit.

Additionally, Risperdal lawsuits may seek to obtain compensation for emotional trauma and pain and suffering, like the teasing that the child in this Risperdal lawsuit allegedly suffered from. Risperdal lawsuits also seek legal fees and other costs allegedly stemming from alleged Risperdal side effects.

The Risperdal Gynecomastia Lawsuit is T. S. vs. Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc, et al, Case No. 130401984, filed in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The larger Risperdal MDL is In Re: Risperdal Litigation, Case No. 100300296, in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas