Risperdal is an anti-psychotic medication that has been prescribed to children and adolescents, including Benjamin Verkest of California, who is now 22 years old. Verkest and his mother, Lori McKee-Callanan, filed a Risperdal lawsuit on Jan. 16, 2014, claiming that the drug caused Verkest to experience male breast growth.

Unlike fatty tissue in the breast that can occur when males gain excess weight, Risperdal “man boobs” are irreversible without surgery and Verkest certainly isn’t alone. In fact, so many men have sued the makers of Risperdal for similar complaints that a Risperdal class action lawsuit is gaining in members each month.

“This action arises in connection with Defendants’ unlawful marketing and promotion of the defective and unreasonably dangerous prescription medication Risperdal, which was taken by Plaintiff Verkest from 1997 to 2001,” the Risperdal lawsuit says.

“As a proximate result of Defendants’ unlawful actions, Plaintiff Verkest suffered serious and debilitating physical, psychological, pecuniary and related injuries, including permanent disfigurement, significant and severe weight gain, diabetes mellitus, hyperglycemia, hyperprolactinemia, enuresis, damage to his sexual and endocrine functions, gynecomastia, impaired motor skills, dyssomnia, anxiety, embarrassment, difficulty concentrating, agitation, and impaired thinking, medical expenses, lost and/or diminished earning capacity and psychological trauma. Furthermore, as a proximate result of Defendants’ unlawful actions, Plaintiff McKee-Callanan suffered various damages including, but not limited to, severe emotional distress, lost wages, inconvenience, medical expenses, and other damages.”

In 1997, when Verkest was 7 years old, he was prescribed Risperdal after exhibiting signs of behavioral issues for two years. However, he says that he and his mother were never warned about the risk of male breast growth while taking Risperdal.

“During the time period that Plaintiff Verkest took Risperdal from 1997 to 2001, he experienced numerous serious side effects, including significant weight gain, enlarged nipples, and development of enlarged breasts,” the Risperdal lawsuit says. “Upon discontinuing Risperdal in or about April of 2001, Plaintiff Verkest experienced numerous deleterious effects, including increased aggression, acting out, and other emotional and behavioral problems. Plaintiff Verkest has continued to experience negative effects resulting from his use of Risperdal from 2001 to the present, including gynecomastia, delayed onset of puberty, delayed and/or incomplete sexual development, impaired motor skills, dyssomnia, eneuresis, diabetes and/or diabetes-related symptoms, and other physical health issues and emotional disturbances.”

Johnson & Johnson, the makers of the drug, are facing numerous similar Risperdal lawsuits. However, the timing of Verkest’s prescription was unfortunate. “In or about 1997 and thereafter, Defendants made false and misleading statements about the safety, cost and effectiveness of Risperdal and improperly influenced doctors and officials to promote and prescribe the medication,” the plaintiffs allege.

The drug had only been available for a couple of years when it was prescribed to Verkest. “In or about 1999, Defendants received a warning letter from the FDA regarding marketing Risperdal in a manner that was misleading, false and lacking in fair balance. In or about 2001, Defendants were required by the FDA to change the labeling of Risperdal to include a statement that the safety and effectiveness of the drug in children had not been established.”

However, Verkest was far from the only young man experiencing these Risperdal side effects.

“The New York Times has reported that between 1993 and 2008, more than 1,200 children have suffered serious complications in connection with taking Risperdal/risperidone, including 31 deaths.” One of the potential Risperdal side effects is gynecomastia, or man boobs, which many men (now grown) report feeling so embarrassed about that they chose to hide and not seek help from their parents or doctors.

Risperdal Advertised as Safe Despite Serious Side Effects

Verkest says that the company widely marketed the drug as safe for a number of mental health ailments from post-traumatic stress disorder to schizophrenia. There are some reports of slender males growing breasts as large as a D-cup, which can lead to not just physical trauma but also emotional and mental anguish, especially in the teen years.

In fact, “Defendants continued to promote Risperdal as safe and effective despite patient reports of adverse events, FDA warnings regarding Risperdal’s dangers, and FDA requests to modify the warning labels,” Verkest and his mother allege.

They’re suing the company for negligence, breach of warranties, violation of California Business Code, fraudulent concealment, failure to warn, negligence per se, negligent misrepresentation, false advertising, fraudulent misrepresentation, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The Risperdal male breast growth lawsuit is Benjamin Verkest, et al. v. Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., et al., Case No. 3:14-cv-00106-JM-JMA, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.