IMPORTANT* Information on Risperdal

Drug & Pharmaceutical Litigation

Risperdal

Representing More Risperdal Victims than Anyone in the Country...

Thomas J. Henry Injury Attorneys, a national personal injury firm, represents more victims injured by the pharmaceutical drug Risperdal than any other firm in the nation.  Having reviewed thousands of Gynecomastia cases across the country, the firm is uniquely qualified to handle your case.  Call 24 hours a day or fill out the confidential online form for a free consultation.

Risperdal and Children

Risperdal (risperidone) is an atypical anti-psychotic medication approved to treat symptoms of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism. When it comes to prescribing Risperdal to children and adolescents, these uses are narrow and limited. Unfortunately, that has not stopped thousands of doctors from prescribing Risperdal for unapproved and untested uses, with serious consequences.
ALERT: Jan. 19, 2012: Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay $158 million to the state of Texas to settle claims that the drug company illegally promoted its anti-psychotic drug Risperdal for off-label uses, including unapproved uses in children.

“

[They] misused Texas and, I believe, well-meaning officials to further their marketing. They subverted science and they influenced others to betray the people they were supposed to be taking care of. To me, that is reprehensible,
Allen Jones, Whistleblower who filed original Risperdal lawsuits in Texas and Pennsylvania

Approved Uses for Children

Risperdal has only been approved for the following:
Schizophrenia- Treatment of schizophrenia in adolescents aged 13-17 (approved in 2007).
Bipolar Disorder- Short term-treatment of acute manic or mixed episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder in children and adolescents aged 10-17 (approved in 2007).
Autistic Disorder- Treatment of irritability associated with autistic disorder in children and adolescents aged 5-16 (approved in 2006).

Off-Label Prescribing

While Risperdal has only been approved for the above uses in children, doctors are able to prescribe it for various other unapproved or “off-label uses” such as:

• ADHD
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Anxiety disorders
• Eating disorders
• Tourette syndrome
• Disruptive behavior disorders in children
• Depression

While it may be legal, the practice of off-label prescribing puts children at risk for serious, life-threatening side-effects without concrete proof/evidence of benefit.

Risperdal Side-Effects

• Rapid weight gain
• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Breast cancer
• Tumors of the pituitary gland
• Gynecomastia (breast development in males)
• Galactorrhea (lactation)
• Hyperprolactinemia
• Decreased bone mineral density
• Osteoporosis
• Metabolic syndrome
• Involuntary movement disorders (tics, twitches, muscle contractions)
• Nueroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS)

Recent Risperdal Lawsuits

• 2010- Johnson & Johnson ordered to pay $257.7 million to the State of Louisiana over Risperdal marketing.
• 2011- Johnson & Johnson ordered to pay $327 million to the State of South Carolina over Risperdal marketing.
• 2012- Johnson & Johnson settles Texas Risperdal lawsuit for $158 million.