Risperdal, an anti-psychotic medication, is said to cause the growth of female breast tissue in young boys. This breast tissue must be then surgically removed. Despite this, Johnson & Johnson neglected to inform patients of or downplayed this side effect. According to the Legal Intelligencer, lawsuits filed in Philadelphia court against the manufacturer of Risperdal have more than doubled over the first half of 2017.
It has become the largest mass tort program in Philadelphia’s court system. Beginning with about 2,000 cases in January, it has since grown in size to more than 5,500 as of June.
Philadelphia’s Court of Common Pleas says that over 55.8% of its inventory is made up of Risperdal lawsuits. 5,548 Risperdal cases were pending as of early June.
Thomas R. Kline, an attorney from Kline & Specter, Sheller P.C. and Arnold and Itken, is handling about three-quarters of the cases in Philadelphia. He expects the number of cases to continue to grow, though it will be slower than the first half of the year.
A spokeswoman for Janssen, the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary that manufacturers Risperdal, issued a statement that said the company would “continue to defend this litigation and try cases where appropriate.”
The majority of the filings come from outside Pennsylvania. Plaintiffs hail from all over the country, and at one point, made up about 95% of the most recent filings.
Kline said that the litigation would take place over eight to ten trails scheduled for the remaining half of 2017 and the first half of 2018.
If you have been injured as a result of taking the prescription drug Risperdal, you may be entitled to compensation. Let the attorneys at the law offices of John Foy & Associates fight for you. We can get you the compensation you deserve. Call us today.