---------
Risperdal, an anti-psychotic drug manufactured by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, was approved in the United States in the 1990a. Following approval by the Food and Drugs Administration, the drug quickly became popular for prescription to schizophrenics, and annual global sales soon reached and exceeded two billions dollars. The drug was not a cure for mental illness, but was a treatment that was thought to have no serious side effects.
If so, you may have a possible legal case against the manufacturer of the potentially dangerous drug or medical product. Simply fill out the short form below and an experienced legal expert will contact you as soon as possible!
In 2003, Johnson & Johnson, the parent company of Janssen Pharmaceuticals, shocked both medics and patients by announcing that they were sending out letters to doctors. These letters issues a warning about the increased risk of stroke in elderly patients taking Risperdal. By this time, Risperdal was being prescribed for additional problems, such as behavioural disorders in both the elderly and children, as well as childhood autism.
The announcement caused additional concern in the Unites States, because Johnson had already issues these warnings in Canada around six months earlier, but had then waited half a year before announcing the same to US doctors and medical professionals. The warnings sent out in 2002 to Canadian physicians included reports of harm, injury and death caused by Risperdal.
Studies carried out on a group of 764 Risperdal patients resulted in 29 cases of strokes and four deaths linked to Risperdal. Concern was also raised in relation to the drug being prescribed to children, as no conclusive testing had been carried out with regards to the safety or effectiveness of Risperdal on children. Following the issue of the warnings to Canadian and US physicians, Johnson & Johnson also stated that the labelling on Risperdal would be revised in order to keep medics and patients better informed.
More recently, in April 2004, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, which manufactures the drug, was given a warning by the FDA. This was relating to the fact that the letters sent out to doctors in 2002 and 2003 were ‘misleading’, and that the company left out vital information regarding additional risks and necessary testing, as well as making misleading claims with regards to being the safer option from the other drugs in the same group.
Drug litigation lawyers are already dealing with a large number of lawsuits and compensation claims from harmed or injured patients, and the number of lawsuits is expected to keep rising for the foreseeable future. Johnson & Johnson fact a number of legal battles and lawsuits, and the problems caused by this drug could end up costing them a fortune.
If you have been affected by Risperdal, you are advised to contact a Risperdal lawyer as soon as possible in order to discuss your eligibility for making a claim. A trained and experienced Risperdal lawyer will be able to determine whether you have grounds to file a lawsuit, and you could be eligible for a large settlement payout to cover pain, suffering, and medical costs that may be associated with Risperdal.
As the initial consultation with most Risperdal lawyers is free, you won’t have to pay anything to find out whether you have a case, and your Risperdal lawyer can determine your best course of action based upon the facts surrounding your case. The Risperdal lawyer will also be the best person to put together the most solid and watertight case possible in order to raise your chances of success.