Lawsuits Filed Over Drug Side Effects
On January 7, a Philadelphia law firm filed 10 lawsuits on behalf of boys and young men who developed serious side effects (including the growth of breasts) while taking the antipsychotic medications Risperdal and Invega. According to this article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, the suits were filed in Philadelphia and one attorney said he expected to file an additional 20 to 30 similar cases in Philadelphia in the next two months. There are also cases involving boys who took Risperdal and another medication pending in New Jersey.
The drugs in the cases are made by Janssen (of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals) and are part Johnson & Johnson. All of the companies are based in New Jersey, but Ortho-McNeil-Janssen is incorporated in Pennsylvania.
One young man from Philadelphia took Risperdal in his teens. The lawsuit says he experienced rapid weight gain and developed breasts that will require surgical removal.
Some of the clients grew significant bosoms, a fact their doctors may not have taken seriously enough because of the weight gain.
The suits also named Excerpta Medica, Inc. and Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc. because the companies were involved in publishing ghostwritten studies that were misleading or exaggerated.
Risperdal and Invega are antipsychotic drugs with similar chemical structures and side effects. Risperdal is FDA-approved for treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar mania, and symptoms of autism. The drug is prescribed off-label to about 70 % of the patients of all ages who take it. Most of the patients in these cases were taking the drug off-label for problems like attention deficit disorder, Tourette syndrome, and disruptive behavior.
The suits allege that Janssen did not adequately warn doctors and patients about the drugs’ dangers and actively promoted off-label uses of Risperdal.
People of all ages take prescription drugs, non-prescription drugs, and supplements on a daily basis in the United States to prevent and treat various illnesses. Although these medications are supposed to help people, many people have suffered serious side effects, and even death.
If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of a dangerous drug reaction in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania pharmaceutical drug litigation attorneys at Cherry Fieger and Marciano, LLP may be able to help you recover the monetary compensation that you deserve.
If a manufacturer produces drugs or supplements that are defective, they can and should be held responsible for the injuries they cause. As a manufacturer of pharmaceuticals, the company has an obligation to make a safe product, which includes various aspects such as thoroughly inspecting the product and affixing an appropriate label on the packaging. It is extremely important that you hire a skilled PA drug injury attorney to prove that the manufacturer was responsible for producing a defective product, as this is a very complicated and difficult part of the case. Contact Cherry Fieger and Marciano, LLP today for a free consultation.
