Could SSRIs Be Causing Surge In
Breast Cancer Cases? By Martha Rosenberg
Bridgett Brown, a resident of California, developed breast cancer from using brand-name and generic versions of the antipsychotics Risperdal( risperidone) and Zyprexa( olanzapine) says a bold new lawsuit from the Wisner Baum law firm. Neither Brown or her two prescribing physicians knew or“ had reason to know” that the drugs could cause breast cancer since the drug manufacturers“ obfuscated and disclaimed such risks while promoting these dangerous, expensive drugs over safer, more affordable alternatives.”
Brown suffered disfigurement, physical injury, pain and emotional distress and demands a jury trial, says the suit. Drug giants Johnson & Johnson or J & J( who marketed Risperdal) and Eli Lilly( who marketed Zyprexa) are among the suit’ s major defendants along with J & J subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals( who marketed Risperdal) and Lilly German partner Cheplapharm Arzneimittel Gmbh.
Off-Label Prescriptions Versus Off-Label Marketing
Many have heard of“ off-label” drug use in which a doctor prescribes a drug to a patient for a non-FDA approved“ indication.” The use of Retin A products for wrinkles when they are approved for acne is a case in point.
Risperdal and Zyprexa have benefited from such“ offlabel” prescribing according to the suit because the drug is given for attention-deficit drugs in children, dementia in the elderly and as mood stabilizers in psychiatric patients; related sales calls to child psychiatrists, adolescent mental health facilities and nursing homes have also been noted in the marketing.
Of course, such marketing“ creep” is simply a numbers game. Only one percent of the US actually suffers from schizophrenia— hardly the recipe for a Wall Street blockbuster— so other“ uses” are identified.( Who has noticed the new“ uses” floated for GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic, courtesy of their manufacturers’ clinical trials and funded researchers?)
While“ off-label” prescribing is legal,“ off-label” promotion of drugs is not legal and both Risperdal and Zyprexa manufacturers have been for cited for such il-
80 The Trial Lawyer