Plaintiffs 3-for-4 in Philadelphia Risperdal trials, confident punitive damages will be reintroduced
If the results of the first trials are any indication, Janssen Pharmaceuticals might find itself with a hefty price tag connected to more than 1,600 Risperdal cases currently pending in Philadelphia, even without the prospect of paying punitive damages – though an appeal might change that.
Risperdal, a prescription medication used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, has found itself the subject of lawsuits from male plaintiffs nationwide who were prescribed the drug and claimed to have suffered from gynecomastia, the development of female breast tissue.
This condition resulted from elevated levels of the hormone prolactin in the plaintiffs – which they allege is from their use of Risperdal.
Statistics recently issued by the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas Complex Litigation Center and its director Stanley Thompson stated a total of 1,606 Risperdal cases had been filed in the court system as of the end of November.
