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Bi-polar Drug Linked to Pituitary Tumors
New study presented at a University of Pittsburgh conference in June, 2005 has found a strong link between the Johnson and Johnson drug, Risperdal and benign pituitary gland tumors.
Risperdal is widely prescribed for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and is J&J's second-biggest-selling drug, with global sales of $3.1 billion last year. The FDA researchers started looking at Risperdal after noticing reports of men and children who were producing breast milk -- a sign of tumors in the pituitary gland, the report said. The researchers analyzed 2.5 million adverse events reported by doctors, patients and individuals since 1968. Of the 307 reports of pituitary tumors, 64, or 21 percent, occurred in patients taking antipsychotics. Forty-eight reports of pituitary tumors involved patients taking Risperdal
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