Risperdal Lawsuit News: Bernstein Liebhard LLP Notes Publication of New Study Revealing Increasing Abuse of Risperdal, Other Atypical Antipsychotics

NEW YORK, Jan. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- As Risperdal gynecomastia lawsuits (http://www.risperdallawsuitcenter.com/) and other product liability claims involving the drug continue to move forward in courts around the country, Bernstein Liebhard LLP notes that a new study has revealed that rates of abuse associated with atypical antipsychotic medications like Risperdal may be on the rise. The research, which was presented last month at the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP) 24th Annual Meeting & Symposium, found that drugs included in this class of medications are increasingly being used by substance abusers to enhance the effects of illicit drugs, or to curb their adverse effects.

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The study involved 429 patients admitted for rehab or detox via the Addiction Institute of New York, of which 17% reported using atypical antipsychotics in combination with alcohol, opioids, cocaine/crack, methamphetamine, and/or marijuana. While quetiapine led the list of antipsychotics used in an illegal or nonmedical manner, nearly a quarter of the subjects reported using Risperdal.

"Risperdal and other atypical antipsychotics are extremely powerful medications that carry some significant risks. This study only confirms that drugs in this class should be prescribed with great care," says Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationwide law firm representing the victims of defective drugs and medical devices. The Firm is currently offering free legal consultations to young men and boys who allegedly developed Risperdal gynecomastia (male breast growth) due to their use of the antipsychotic medication.

Risperdal Gynecomastia Lawsuits

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Risperdal to treat adult and adolescent schizophrenia, bipolar disorder in adults and children ages 10-to-17, and irritability in children (5-to-16 years of age) with autistic disorder. The medication is also sometimes prescribed for off-label uses, including the treatment of ADHD in children.

According to court documents, more than 200 Risperdal lawsuits are pending in a consolidated litigation in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania. Plaintiffs in these lawsuits are alleged to have suffered a number of serious side effects due to their use of the drug, including Risperdal gynecomastia. Among other things, plaintiffs allege that Risperdal was improperly marketed for use in children and other off-label purposes. They further allege that Johnson & Johnson and its Janssen Pharmaceuticals unit concealed the drug's risks, including the association between Risperdal and male breast growth. (Risperdal Litigation, case number 100300296)

According to an announcement issued by the U.S. Department of Justice on November 4, 2013, Johnson & Johnson and Janssen have agreed to pay $2.2 billion to settle charges that they improperly marketed Risperdal and other medications. Under the terms of the settlement, the companies pled guilty to a criminal misdemeanor charge over the illegal marketing of Risperdal for use in elderly dementia patients. However, they did not admit wrongdoing in resolving civil charges over the alleged marketing of the drug for pediatric uses.

Alleged victims of Risperdal gynecomastia could be entitled to compensation from the manufacturers of the medication. To learn more about Risperdal male breast growth, please visit Bernstein Liebhard LLP's website. To arrange for a free case review, please contact the Firm directly by calling (888) 340-4807.

About Bernstein Liebhard LLP
Bernstein Liebhard LLP is a New York-based law firm exclusively representing injured persons in complex individual and class action lawsuits nationwide since 1993, including those who have been harmed by dangerous drugs, defective medical devices and consumer products. The firm has been named by The National Law Journal to the "Plaintiffs' Hot List," recognizing the top plaintiffs' firms in the country, for the past 11 consecutive years.

Bernstein Liebhard LLP
10 East 40th Street
New York, New York 10016
(888) 340-4807

ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. © 2014 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, (888) 340-4807. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

Contact Information: 
Felecia L. Stern, Esq.
Bernstein Liebhard LLP
info (at) consumerinjurylawyers (dot) com
http://www.risperdallawsuitcenter.com/ 
https://plus.google.com/115936073311125306742?rel=author

SOURCE Bernstein Liebhard LLP

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