Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson has been hit with a $70 million dollar Risperdal lawsuit verdict over gynecomastia side effects

The Philadelphia jury found that Risperdal, a popular antipsychotic, was at fault for causing a young boy to suffer from male breast growth, or gynecomastia.

The money from this Risperdal lawsuit skyrocketed above that of three other recent Risperdal lawsuit victories combined, which have totaled only $4.75 million.

According to Stephen Sheller of Sheller PC, the firm leading the Risperdal lawsuit group, said that this verdict was a signal that Janssen, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, should begin looking to settle the rest of the Risperdal lawsuits waiting in Philadelphia.

There are currently over 1,700 Risperdal lawsuits waiting to be settled in Philadelphia court.

“It’s about time they put an end to their games,” said Sheller. “In my view, it’s outrageous that they continue to defend these cases.”

However, according to Johnson and Johnson, the $70 million dollar award is too much. “We believe this verdict is not justified by the evidence, and that the award is clearly excessive and far out of line with any factual assessment of actual damages,” the company said. “Going forward, we will seek a review by the trial court and appellate court, if necessary.”

Cases like this Risperdal lawsuit allege that Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, actively worked to hide evidence that Risperdal was linked with gynecomastia side effects in adolescent boys.

Instead, lawsuits allege, the company marketed their drug as safe and effective, obscuring details about gynecomastia.

This Risperdal lawsuit was filed on behalf of a Tennessee boy who allegedly grew female breasts after taking Risperdal in 2003, which was meant to help treat psychiatric problems.

A year later, the boy began to show signs of male breast growth, and a medical report in November 2005 noted that he had developed male breast growth as well as weight gain.

While the Risperdal warning label had mentioned that this was a rare side effect occurring in less than .1 percent of patients, the Risperdal lawsuit alleges that Janssen knew the drug was linked with prolactin increase, which can result in gynecomastia.

While gynecomastia is not a life-threatening condition, it can be difficult or even traumatizing for patients to deal with. Hundreds of boys and young men who have taken Risperdal have reported developing gynecomastia.

Gynecomastia is unrelated to excess fat, and is instead the enlargement of breast tissue similar to female breasts.

Social stigma and embarrassment are huge concerns for boys who have gynecomastia. In some cases, gynecomastia affects the breasts disproportionately. The issue for some boys was so severe and long-lasting that they underwent surgery to remove the excess tissue.

Some patients choose to file a Risperdal lawsuit after suffering form gynecomastia side effects. These lawsuits allege that Johnson & Johnson failed to adequately warn about the risk of gynecomastia.

If you or someone you love has suffered from gynecomastia after using Risperdal, you may be able to file a Risperdal lawsuit.

The Risperdal Lawsuit is Case No. 130402094, in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, Philadelphia.