Pittsburgh PA Risperdal Dangerous Drug Attorney
Risperdal Injury Lawyer
At Dallas W. Hartman, P.C., Attorneys at Law, our dangerous drug lawyers have been researching the side effects and complaints of the drug risperidone, known mostly by the brand name Risperdal, since 2008. In 2004, the Johnson & Johnson patent ran out on the drug, but four years later it was sold by Teva Pharmaceuticals as a generic equivalent. If you have taken Risperdal or any other form of risperidone, and you think that you may have suffered injuries because of it, then please pay close attention to the following information about the drug and possible lawsuits surrounding it.
Distinct connection between Risperdal and abnormal breast enlargement
Researchers have found a distinct connection between Risperdal and abnormal breast enlargement, otherwise known as gynecomastia, in boys. If you or someone under your care has taken Risperdal and has developed conditions such as heart disease or abnormal breast growth, then you need a determined dangerous drug attorney from Dallas W. Hartman, P.C. on your side. We care about your well-being and we will work diligently to get you the best possible results in the shortest amount of time. At Dallas W. Hartman, P.C., our goal is to advocate for common people who have been placed under unfortunate circumstances due to the negligence and greed of pharmaceutical conglomerates that would rather turn a hefty profit than ensure the safety of the people purchasing their products.
Who is prescribed Risperdal?
Risperdal, manufactured and sold by the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Ortho-McNeil-Janssen, and approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2003, is a prescription medication that is used for a variety of conditions in a variety of people. The uses of Risperdal range from aiding behavioral issues in autistic children between the ages of five and sixteen, to treating Bipolar I Disorder in children ten and older, to treating teenagers and adults diagnosed with schizophrenia.
When the Johnson & Johnson Ortho-McNeil-Janssen’s risperidone patent expired in 2004, Teva Pharmaceuticals began selling a generic equivalent. Regardless of the rhetoric on the drug’s label, researchers and technologists are astounded at how Risperdal reacts in a human’s body. Most medical experts agree that Risperdal blocks Type 2 dopamine receptors, as well as Type 2 serotonin receptors from the brain. Risperdal has ingested a variety of ways including pills, disintegrating pills, and liquid. It can also be taken through injections in the muscle.
Much debate is following Risperdal
Johnsons & Johnson, as well as other off-brand manufacturers of Risperdal, are no strangers when it comes to serious controversy, regardless of their status within the medical manufacturing world. In January of 2010, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson citing the False Claims Act. The government claims that from 1999 to 2004, Johnson & Johnson sent an estimated $50 million in kickbacks to Omnicare, a pharmaceutical supply company that sold Risperdal to nursing homes. Omnicare then used the money to pledge programs that were focused on convincing physicians to prescribe the drug to nursing home residents.
In 2011, another lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson made claims that the drug company-sanctioned Risperdal to help people with physical and mental health problems for which the drug was never intended. As this took place, Johnson & Johnson failed to release information about serious side effects of the drug, such as diabetes and an increased risk of death in elderly patients. Other past lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson have ended in payouts of $347 million and $158 million.
Risperdal has been linked to Tardive Dyskinesia
Recent National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports show that Risperdal may be a potential cause of Tardive Dyskinesia (TD). TD is characterized as an often irreversible condition wherein uncontrollable facial twitching and movement is frequent. Symptoms of Tardive Dyskinesia include contortion of the eyebrows, mouth, and cheeks; rapid blinking of the eyes; lip-smacking and abnormal noises; and incontrollable puckering or pursing of the lips.
Risperdal has been linked to Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
Another NAMI study shows that Risperdal may play a distinct part in Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS). Considered by medical professionals to be a much more dangerous side effect of Risperdal compared to Tardive Dyskinesia, NMS can be potentially fatal. Symptoms of Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome include unusually high fevers, altered states of consciousness, muscle stiffness, excessive sweating, high or low blood pressure, and heart palpitations.
Risperdal Linked to breast enhancement in adolescent and teenage boys
Risperdal was not approved for treating children from 2000 to 2004, but children have still prescribed the drug. Over the years, some boys experienced serious adverse side effects and began to grow abnormally large breasts, otherwise known as gynecomastia. Initially, physicians blamed the increasing size of the boys’ chests on weight gain and obesity and said it had nothing to do with Risperdal. Then, in April 2013, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (medical journal) published an article in which they claimed that gynecomastia developed in Risperdal patients and played a negative role on the psycho-social behavior of adolescents in regards to their mental health and self-esteem. To date, there are well over a hundred lawsuits that have not been settled and possibly thousands more unknown.
Contact a Risperdal injury lawyer today for a free consultation
At Dallas W. Hartman, P.C., we understand that undergoing the arduous process of getting the compensation you deserve for your pain, suffering, and injuries can be a confusing, frustrating time in your life. Meeting with our Risperdal injury lawyers can alleviate that stress and give you the peace of mind you need while you are working through this tumultuous experience. At Dallas W. Hartman, P.C., our trusted dangerous drug lawyers know that having the right attorney does make a difference. For a free preliminary consultation, call our offices at (toll-free) 1-800-777-4081, or contact us via email by clicking here. You do not have to fight all on your own. Let us help. Call today.