Johnson & Johnson Ordered To Pay $8bn To A Man Who 'Developed Breasts' After Taking Drug

A court has ordered Johnson & Johnson to hand over $8 billion (£6.6bn) to a man after an anti-psychotic drug he was prescribed made him develop breasts.

A judge in Philadelphia ruled that Nicholas Murray, 26, should be handed the eye-watering payout, while thousands of other cases against the drug firm are pending in the state, the BBC reports.

PA

Lawyers arguing on behalf of Murray said Jassen - a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary - had used a warning label that didn't adequately warn potential users about the risk of gynecomastia - the development of female breast tissue in young males.

The lawyers said in court papers that the condition is 'severe, humiliating, often painful, and causes severe psychological disturbances during a critical period of the formation of self-image and gender identity'.

They claimed that Johnson & Johnson put 'profits over patients' and chose money over children when they marketed the drug Risperdal.

In a statement, they said: "This jury, as have other juries in other litigation, once again imposed punitive damages on a corporation that valued profits over safety and profits over patients.

"Johnson & Johnson and Janssen chose billions over children."

However, Johnson & Johnson have responded to the suit to say the payout was 'grossly disproportionate' and that it was 'confident' the decision will be overturned at appeal.

According to the lawsuit, Murray was prescribed Risperdal 'off-label' - which means when a drug is prescribed for a condition other than that which it is officially made for - after being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in 2003.

He, and a number of other male complainants, say the drug caused them to develop breasts.

Risperdal is formally approved for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but doctors are legally sound to prescribe it for any condition they believe it will help.

This isn't the first time the company has found itself involved in a high-profile case, earlier this month a woman sued for $40.3 million (£32 million) after developing cancer which was linked to asbestos in Johnson & Johnson's talc.

Nancy Cabibi, from Idaho, had to undergo a number of surgeries plus chemotherapy and radiotherapy after she was diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Topics: US News

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

@ClaireReid19