A subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson first introduced Risperdal on the market in 1994. Since then, many lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturer.
The Risperdal lawsuits filed alleged that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) originally approved the drug for a limited number of disorders such as schizophrenia, and not for disorders such as autism.
It has been argued in these cases that the FDA warned the manufacturer of the dangers of the use of Risperdal by the elderly and in younger patients. Despite the admonitions by the FDA, the manufacturer of the drug continued to market Risperdal very aggressively and broadly.
Risperdal is an approved medication that is prescribed for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. At its inception, Risperdal was provided to only adults and teenagers that are at least 13 years or older. Thereafter, the medication has been prescribed for the treatment of disorders in adolescents who have autism. The drug Risperdal affects the manner in which the body creates hormones.
Because of this, children whose bodies are still growing and maturing are particularly vulnerable to significant hormonal changes. In many cases, male patients taking Risperdal have reported breast enlargement and serious psychological problems.
If someone in your family has suffered from enlargement of the breasts after taking Risperdal, you should contact an experienced Risperdal lawyer today. An experienced dangerous drugs attorney will fight to make a claim and diligently seek to protect your rights and interests.
Back in 2004, Johnson & Johnson and its affiliate company were being investigated for their aggressive marketing of Risperdal which was targeting disabled children, as well as for providing kickbacks to pharmacists and doctors.
These legal issues were eventually settled with the U.S. Department of Justice for $2.2 billion. In addition, there was a $181 million settlement with 36 different states.
The manufacturer has promoted Risperdal for uses that have been deemed to be unsafe by the FDA. This is illegal conduct. In addition to marketing Risperdal for unapproved usages, the manufacturer also made numerous misleading statements and false claims about the drug’s safety.
Risperdal lawsuits are only one of the many types of product liability lawsuits that have been filed against Johnson & Johnson. A startlingly large number of their products have been investigated by the government, and the company has also issued a countless number of recalls of their products.
Despite all the Risperdal breast enlargement lawsuit settlements and numerous other product liability lawsuits, Johnson & Johnson’s profits continue to remain on the rise. For the year 2013, the company reported that they had greater than $71 billion in sales. These cases can be discussed in length by a Risperdal lawyer.
If you or a loved one has suffered from the negative side effects of Risperdal, you may be entitled to receive warranted damages for lost income, medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional anguish, among other types of damages.
An experienced Risperdal attorney will be prepared to diligently and zealously seek the damages you are justified to receive. Contact a knowledgeable Risperdal lawyer as soon as possible to begin building a claim.
Charles E. Boyk Law Offices, LLC
Charles E. Boyk Law Offices, LLC
1500 Timberwolf
Holland Ohio
43528
