A 22-year-old California resident and his mother have filed a Risperdal gynecomastia lawsuit against Janssen Pharmaceuticals with allegations of misrepresenting their popular anti-psychotic drug and inflicting physical, mental, and emotional trauma on their consumers.

Lead plaintiff Benjamin Verkest and his mother Lori L. McKee-Callanan allege in his Riserdal lawsuit that due to his consumption of Risperdal, Verkest developed gynecomastia, a condition in which male breast tissue becomes unnaturally enlarged.

At the age of 5, Verkest reportedly experienced psychological and behavioral problems. In November 1997, Verkest was prescribed Risperdal by his primary care physician. Verkest used Risperdal from age 6 until a month before his 10th birthday in 2001.

According to the Risperdal lawsuit, “during the time period that Plaintiff Verkest took Risperdal from 1997 to 2001, he experienced numerous serious side effects, including significant weight gain, enlarged nipples, and development of enlarged breasts.”

Since discontinuing his prescription of Risperdal, Verkest has also experienced additional negative Risperdal side effects, including delayed puberty onset, incomplete sexual development, impairment of motor skills, dyssomnia, eneuresis, diabetes, behavioral issues such as increased aggression, and emotional trauma.

In light of Verkest’s traumatic preadolescent and adolescent experiences which he alleges is a direct result of his use of Risperdal, Verkest, his mother, and his legal counsel charge Janssen with strict liability, negligence, fraudulent concealment and misrepresentation, failure to warn, breach of warranties, negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress, and finally reckless endangerment of young male consumers of Risperdal.

Verkest is seeking relief in the form of economic and non-economic damages, compensatory and punitive damages, and attorney and court fees.

Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, has manufactured, marketed, and sold Risperdal as a treatment for schizophrenia, bipolar mania, and occasionally autistic disorder, beginning in 1993. Since then, Janssen has received several U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) warnings concerning misleading marketing and labeling of the anti-psychotic drug.

Additionally, “In or about 2001, Defendants were required by the FDA to change the labeling of Risperdal to include a statement that the safety and effectiveness of the drug in children had not been established,” the Risperdal lawsuit says. Within the last couple years, Janssen and J&J have been hit with thousands of Risperdal gynecomastia lawsuits with allegations of fraud, misrepresentation, emotional distress, and reckless endangerment of young male consumers.

What is Gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia is a condition fairly common in adolescent males and can be caused by genetic or environmental factors which cause an unnatural enlargement of a male’s breast tissue. However, the high rate of Risperdal male consumers who develop gynecomastia has supported plaintiff allegations that this condition is a direct result of using the antipsychotic drug.

In many Risperdal cases, an individual’s pituitary gland may release prolactin in response to the Risperdal blocked dopamine. The prolactin hormone stimulates milk production and eventually leads to young male patients developing gynecomastia.

While gynecomastia is physically benign, it can produce great psychological trauma for young men and also increase body image issues among adolescent male Risperdal consumers.

Some symptoms of Risperdal gynecomastia include:

• Nipple discharge
• Tenderness in the breast area
• Pain in breast tissue
• Swelling of breast tissue and nipples