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Risperdal Class Action Lawsuits Information
The concern with the growing power large pharmaceutical
companies have has been a concern because of the influence exercised over safety
regulations in pursuit of financial gain instead of patient safety. The world’s
second biggest maker of medical products, Johnson & Johnson’s Risperdal
schizophrenia drug has annual global sales of $2.1 billion. While a J&J
spokesperson claimed “an update to the Risperdal label is indeed being made, and
we will be sending out letters to health care professionals soon,” the company
had already issued Risperdal warning letters to Canadian doctors and pharmacists
six months before announcing Risperdal side effect risks in the U.S.
Clinical trials testing Risperdal in Alzheimer patients heightened concerns that
the occurrence of serious Risperdal side effects is higher than previously
thought. Among 764 Risperdal patients, 29 cases of stroke and stroke-related
events were seen, in addition to four deaths. A Public Citizen consumer watchdog
group pharmacist and research analyst thinks that the recent Risperdal studies
should push U.S. regulators to deeper examine if younger aged schizophrenia
patients are also more prone to experiencing Risperdal stroke and other side
effects of Risperdal.
Approved in the 1990’s as a type of new atypical anti-psychotic drug and thought
to initially have fewer unwanted side effects, Risperdal uses upon approval only
included schizophrenia treatment. Risperdal is often prescribed to control
behavioral disorders in elderly patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease,
including delusions, aggression, and anxiety, but the recent Risperdal stroke
announcement shows there is an increased risk in prescribing Risperdal to a
wider range of patients.
Public Citizen consumer watchdog group pharmacist and research analyst Larry
Sasich thinks, “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.” Risperdal labeling
changes will be implemented according to J&J to more accurately warn of the
increased risk of Risperdal stroke and other Risperdal side effects that can
include blood clots, hemorrhages, and death.
Risperdal Side Effects
Risperdal side effects are serious and potentially deadly.
The concern with the growing power large pharmaceutical companies have has been
a concern because of the influence exercised over safety regulations in pursuit
of financial gain instead of patient safety. The world’s second biggest maker of
medical products, Johnson & Johnson’s Risperdal schizophrenia drug has annual
global sales of $2.1 billion. While a J&J spokesperson claimed “an update to the
Risperdal label is indeed being made, and we will be sending out letters to
health care professionals soon,” in April 2003, the company had already issued
Risperdal warning letters to Canadian doctors and pharmacists six months before
announcing Risperdal side effect risks in the U.S.
In October 2002, a Risperdal warning letter was sent to Canadian doctors and
pharmacists after the reports of 37 Risperdal stroke or stroke-like events like
blood clots and hemorrhages occurred, including 16 Risperdal deaths. The
Risperdal warning letter sent to Canadian physicians and pharmacists also noted
that two clinical trials of elderly dementia patients in which elderly Risperdal
dementia patients had a higher proportion of strokes or related events than
patients that had received placebo. Risperdal clinical trials have shown that 4%
of Risperdal patients suffered stroke or stroke-related events, opposed to just
2% of people receiving placebos. There were four Risperdal deaths and just on
death amongst placebo recipients.
Clinical trials testing Risperdal in Alzheimer patients heightened concerns that
the occurrence of serious Risperdal side effects is higher than previously
thought. Among the 764 Risperdal study patients, 29 cases of stroke and
stroke-related events were seen, in addition to four deaths. A Public Citizen
consumer watchdog group pharmacist and research analyst thinks that the recent
Risperdal studies should push U.S. regulators to deeper examine if younger aged
schizophrenia patients are also more prone to experiencing Risperdal stroke and
other side effects of Risperdal.
The use of Risperdal is dangerous not only because of the serious and deadly
Risperdal side effects linked to the antipsychotic medication, but because
Risperdal may disguise signs and symptoms of other conditions. Risperdal use can
cover the presence of Risperdal overdose, intestinal obstruction, brain tumor,
and Reye’s syndrome. Safety implications have not yet been established for
Risperdal use in pregnant women and with children.
Risperdal is considered a new antipsychotic drug that has been approved for
adult use but the safety of Risperdal in children has not yet been established.
The well-known side effect of antipsychotic drugs like Risperdal can include
tardive dyskenisia. Despite the lack of known Risperdal safety indication in
children, a growing number of psychiatrists are prescribing the drug to treat
conduct disorders. There has been a growing debate in whether or not health
professionals are over prescribing psychotropic medications over counseling.
In January 2003, the medical journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent
Medicine reported that the number of children taking psychiatric drugs
nationwide has at least doubled in the past decade. The drug Risperdal is a
favored prescription medication of child psychiatrists and the report re-ignited
the debate of the use of potentially very dangerous medications in children.
Risperdal was part of the national study that looked at many drugs created for
psychotic adults. A lead author of the study, Julie Magno Zito, thinks that the
results are extremely disturbing because of the little research performed on how
the compounds in drugs like Risperdal affect young patients. Zito thinks that a
“serious research agenda” is necessary to reassure mental health professionals
and parents that medications like Risperdal are appropriate for children.
More Risperdal Information
In October 2002, J&J sent Canadian physicians and pharmacists
Risperdal warning letters that cited 37 reports of stroke or stroke-like events
such as blood clots and hemorrhages that included 16 deaths. The Canadian
Risperdal warning letter also noted that two clinical trials of elderly dementia
patients in which elderly Risperdal dementia patients had a higher proportion of
strokes or related events than patients that had received placebo. Risperdal
clinical trials have shown that 4% of Risperdal patients suffered stroke or
stroke-related events, opposed to just 2% of people receiving placebos. There
were four Risperdal deaths and just on death amongst placebo recipients.
Any Risperdal patients should be aware of potential Risperdal side effects. Some
patients will have an increased risk for suffering Risperdal side effects due to
individual traits. Elderly Risperdal patients have an increased risk of
suffering from strokes according to clinical Risperdal studies and should become
aware of the signs and symptoms to prevent side effects from worsening. If
sudden weakness or numbness in the face, arms, or legs are experienced or speech
and vision problems occur, Risperdal stroke could be occurring. Immediate doctor
consultation should be sought and contact us to receive more information from a
Risperdal stroke lawyer.
The use of Risperdal is dangerous not only because of the serious and deadly
Risperdal side effects linked to the antipsychotic medication, but because
Risperdal may disguise signs and symptoms of other conditions. Risperdal use can
cover the presence of Risperdal overdose, intestinal obstruction, brain tumor,
and Reye’s syndrome.
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