Risperdal Attorney
Johnson & Johnson has become even more
profitable with its Risperdal drug. While Risperdal has helped
many schizophrenia patients with symptom management, Risperdal was only
FDA approved for serious psychotic conditions. More and more, Risperdal
has been used to treat conditions besides schizophrenia. Doctors are
giving Risperdal to control behavioral disorders in elderly patients
with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as in children with conduct
disorders.
J&J announced on April 10, 2003 that the company
would be sending out letters to thousands of U.S. physicians to advise
them of the possible increased risk of stroke in elderly Risperdal patients.
The Risperdal effects included both strokes and stroke- like events,
such as blood clots and hemorrhages, affecting especially elderly Risperdal
patients. J&J said that in addition to the thousands of letters
being sent to health care professionals warning of the effects of Risperdal,
an update to the Risperdal label would be made.
The clinical trials testing Risperdal in Alzheimer
patients involved 764 Risperdal patients in which 29 cases of stroke
and stroke-related events were seen, in addition to four deaths. The
29 Risperdal stroke occurrences accounted for 4% of the study, compared
to just 2% in the placebo group and one death. Larry Sasich, a pharmacist
and research analyst for Public Citizen thinks that, “The Risperdal
label clearly states that there is no evidence this drug is safe or
effective in treating dementia, and it looks like doctors are hurting
people by prescribing it for this condition.”
While the Risperdal company has become very profitable,
patients have suffered death, strokes, stroke-like events like blood
clots and hemorrhages, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, in addition to
many other effects. Although the company has sent out Risperdal warning
letters and plans on making Risperdal package-insert labeling changes,
the company had already warned physicians of the Risperdal risks in
October 2002, six months earlier than in the U.S. citing 37 reports
of stroke or related events, including 16 deaths.
A Risperdal attorney can help Risperdal patients that
have suffered serious Risperdal side effects determine if they may have
a strong case. Children prescribed strong antipsychotic drugs like
Risperdal risk severe side effects that could last a lifetime. Since
there have not been any studies determining if Risperdal is safe for
use in children, parents with children that have suffered from the serious
effects of Risperdal are wondering why it is being prescribed to them
for reasons other than schizophrenia or serious mental illnesses in
addition to there being limited information on its effect on children.
