We have written before on the Risperdal litigation. That litigation is still ongoing. Beasley Allen lawyers continue to pursue Risperdal claims on behalf of individuals who have been injured as a result of taking Risperdal. As our readers should already know, Risperdal is the brand name drug manufactured by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a division of Johnson & Johnson.
Risperdal went on the market in 1993 after receiving approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of schizophrenia. The drug was approved in 2003 for short term treatment of acute manic/mixed episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder in adults. Until 2006, the drug was not approved for any indication to treat minors.
In 1997, the FDA denied a request by Janssen for a pediatric indication for the drug. Despite this denial, Janssen marketed the drug for the treatment of depression, anxiety, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder, sleep disorders, anger management and mood enhancement/stabilization.
In 2006, Janssen obtained approval to market the drug for autistic irritability for children and adolescents between the ages of 5 to 16 years old. In 2007, Janssen obtained approval to market the drug for treatment of schizophrenia in adolescents between the ages of 13 to 17 years old and short-term treatment of manic or mixed episodes of Bipolar I Disorder in children and adolescents between the ages of 10 to 17 years old. Use of Risperdal can cause gynecomastia (enlarged breasts in males), galactorrhea (milky nipple discharge), weight gain, hyperglycemia, diabetes and inhibited reproductive function.
There have been some recent developments in the Risperdal litigation occurring in Philadelphia and California. A jury returned a verdict in Philadelphia against Janssen and in favor of the Plaintiff and awarded $70 million in compensatory damages. The Plaintiff in that case began taking Risperdal in 2003 and developed enlarged breasts, which were diagnosed in 2005. From 1993 until 2006, the Risperdal label stated that the risk of gynecomastia (enlarged breasts in males) was “rare” and defined “rare” as “less than 1 in 1,000.” In 2006, Janssen modified the gynecomastia warning to state that the risk of gynecomastia in adolescent males was 2.3 percent, which was more than a 2,300 percent increase in risk from the previous warning. There is evidence that Janssen actually knows that the actual risk exceeds the 2.3 percent risk that has been stated in the label since 2006.
To date, there have been five Risperdal trials in Philadelphia. In four of the trials, the juries have awarded damages against Janssen totaling more than $74 million. In the other trial, the jury found that the warnings provided by Janssen were not adequate, but did not find that Risperdal usage caused that Plaintiff’s injuries. There are approximately 1,700 Risperdal cases filed in Philadelphia.
There is a separate group of several thousand Risperdal cases filed in California. Recently, the Judge handling those cases entered an order selecting almost 800 cases for trial work-up over the next year. Discovery in these cases has begun in phases, and trials will proceed in 2016 and 2017. The first case is scheduled to begin trial on July 18, 2016.
If you or a family member has suffered an injury as a result of taking Risperdal, or you need more information generally, contact James Lampkin, a lawyer in our firm’s Mass Torts Section, at 800-898-2034 or by email at James.Lampkin@beasleyallen.com.
