South Carolina State Risperdal Lawsuit Sees Supreme Court Rejection of Defendant’s Appeal

LegalHerald.com comments on recent reports indicating that the U.S. Supreme Court has stated that it will not hear an appeal from Johnson & Johnson regarding a $124 million Risperdal lawsuit judgement against the company. The lawsuit being discussed was filed by the state of South Carolina and claims that Johnson & Johnson’s subsidiary company Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals has illegally marketed the antipsychotic drug they produce, Risperdal.

The South Carolina lawsuit was filed in 2007 and a South Carolina judge hearing the allegations found Johnson & Johnson liable and ordered the company’s subsidiary to pay $337 million in civil penalties. Although this ruling was later reduced to $136 million and then again by another $12 million, it was a pivotal lawsuit which drew much public concern surrounding the drug.

Justice Kittredge commented in a written statement on the decision, “By 1997, Janssen also had information that Risperdal posed a serious risk of stroke, cardiac arrest, and sudden death in the elderly,” and, “Despite this clinical information, it was several years before Janssen updated the Risperdal label to accurately reflect the frequency and severity of the risk of hyperprolactinemia, weight gain and diabetes, or stroke, cardiac arrest, and sudden death in the elderly.”

Janssen appealed this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, but the U.S. Supreme Court has now reportedly rejected the appeal and has noted that they will not hear the arguments of the company. The antipsychotic drug in question has been linked to the development of gynecomastia in young male patients through multiple lawsuits and adverse event reports to the FDA. Gynecomastia is significant male breast tissue development, and can cause patients experiencing it both physical and emotional turmoil.

The attorneys of Banville Law understand how devastating these alleged side effects can be for patients depending upon the use of Risperdal. They are now working to help ensure that other patients who have taken the drug and who believe that their health has been negatively impaired due to their use of the drug will be given the important opportunity to fully evaluate their legal options in the matter. These individuals may be entitled to significant compensation gained through legal action. For those who are interested in further investigating their legal rights, Banville Law is currently offering free legal consultations to qualified parties.

To request additional Risperdal information, or to ask questions, please contact the attorneys of Banville Law by calling 888-997-3792.