Men that have taken testosterone supplements, including testosterone gels are at an increased risk for a number of health conditions including testosterone stroke and testosterone heart attack according to recent studies. Testosterone drug “Androgel” has a warning on its label that describes a number of testosterone side effects that include high blood pressure, blood clots in the legs, and other potentially harmful or fatal problems for men that suffer from heart, kidney or liver disease. There are medical product liability lawsuits against the makers of testosterone therapy that is similar to Vaginal Mesh lawsuits, Medtronic Infuse lawsuits and Da Vinci Surgical Robot lawsuits.
There are other low testosterone treatment brands such as: Androderm, Axirom, Bio-T-Gel, Delatestryl, Depo-Testosterone, Fortesta, Striant, Testim and Testope. Men that have suffered these side effects are currently filing testosterone lawsuits. Any man that believes that he might have been injured by testosterone gel or any other testosterone product should consult with an attorney to protect their rights and access to a testosterone settlement.
The attorneys at the Foster Law Center are pursuing lawsuits on behalf of men that have used AndroGel and other testosterone therapy products and then suffered a heart attack, stroke or another serious medical problem. AndroGel and other testosterone treatments, which are available as testosterone pellets, gels, patches and injections have been linked to cardiac problems in men with a history of heart disease. Lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturers of AndroGel and other testosterone therapies stating that they had a duty to warn their patients about the risks of heart attacks and strokes. These lawsuits allege that the makers of testosterone products failed to provide any indication of these potential side effects in the product labeling or their advertising materials.
Testosterone therapy, which has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat men that were diagnosed with low testosterone levels, has experienced a huge increase usage. Lawsuits that have been filed allege that this is due to aggressive marketing practices. Testosterone lawsuits allege that the increase is because of consumer advertising by the manufacturers of various testosterone supplements and drugs. Some doctors are prescribing testosterone treatment in ways that do not have FDA approval to help men counter the decline in testosterone that men experience as they age. Also, the testosterone has been prescribed to build muscle mass, strengthen bone density and improve sex drive. Off label marketing of testosterone supplements and drugs is illegal, although doctors can prescribe testosterone off label if they believe that it is in their patients’ best interest.
Side Effects of Low-Testosterone Drugs have Resulted in Lawsuits
You may have heard of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) that has been in use, not without controversy, over the last few decades by women who are or have reached menopause and wish to have the effects relieved. Equivalent to this treatment is testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for men. This has now turned into a $2 billion industry with patient numbers reaching 5.5 million. Axiron is the fastest growing brand of low-T drugs and is used in the form of a roll-on product that is applied under the arms. It has been marketed in the U.S.A. since 2010 by Eli Lilly & Co.
The use of Axiron is now allegedly being linked to heart attack risk, stroke and could even result in early death. As the incidence of side effects mounts up as recipients report to their doctors with complaints there is a likelihood of a lawsuit against the company taking place.
Currently, the number of lawsuits has reached into the thousands and it is a possibility that a special federal court will be initiated to handle this case. Litigation often occurs when a drug company has released drugs without sufficient warning of potential side effects and this may take place because the drug has not passed a rigorous testing procedure.
A recent analysis of studies by the U.S. pharmaceutical industry and those that were independently funded has revealed that 14 out of 27 of the studies found a significant increase in the chance of a heart attack and other serious side effects. The drug companies have funded 13 studies but revealed no significant increase in side effects.
The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) only approves Axiron to treat low testosterone in adult males due to some trauma such as the use of chemotherapy but drug companies such as Eli Lilly have used aggressive marketing techniques targeting other characteristics which could be related to low-testosterone levels, such as diminished muscle density, fatigue, stress and limited sex drive. Around 43% of those who are in receipt of prescriptions have normal levels of testosterone levels but are still prescribed drugs such as Axiron. Many doctors have not been made aware of the potential side effects of Low-T drugs. They have not been able to warn prospective patients of possible side effects so that they can weigh up the risks themselves.
Another similar drug, called Androgel, is manufactured and marketed by AbbVie Inc. and has 5 lawsuits pending in the Illinois federal court. Without a doubt as more and more Low-T drug users attribute strokes and heart attacks to the use of the drug then more lawsuits will be filed. Apart from Axiron and Androgel, TRT drugs are also marketed as Androderm, Bio-T-Gel, Depo Testosterone, Delatestryl, Striant and Foresta.
There are also other side effects emerging, including enlarged prostates, blood clots, sleep apnea, liver disease and blocked arteries. Injuries can start to emerge within 3 months of the commencement of TRT.
It is a person’s legal right to be compensated for the effects of an injury that occurred that was not the victim’s fault. Any injury, whether due to a car accident, a slip and fall on a pavement, a prescription error or medical malpractice, is treated the same as long as the victim was not at fault. However, when filing a claim for a personal injury, note that a statute of limitation applies in Texas. You are given two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit in the state’s civil court.
If you, or a member of your family, has been prescribed a Low-T drug in Texas without sufficient advice or warnings and you have had a heart attack, stroke or other poor health outcome from its effects you should consult an experienced prescription drug lawyer at Foster & Foster. Foster & Foster has built up a solid reputation over the years for handling cases for those who have been injured at the hands of unscrupulous drug companies.