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Testosterone Replacement Therapy Lawsuit
The Law Office of Derriel C. McCorvey, LLC is investigating potential lawsuits on behalf of men who used AndroGel or other testosterone therapies and suffered from heart attacks, strokes or other serious medical conditions. Mr. McCorvey was recently appointed by Judge Matthew Kennelly to serve on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, “PSC.” The “PSC” is responsible for prosecuting all claims against the various makers of testosterone replacement therapy drugs now that all of the many lawsuits have been consolidated.
 AndroGel and other “low-T” treatments, which are available as testosterone gels, patches, pellets and injections, have recently been linked to an increased risk of cardiac problems in older and middle-aged men with a history of heart disease. At the Law Office of Derriel C. McCorvey, LLC, our attorneys believe that the manufacturers of AndroGel and other testosterone therapies had a duty to warn patients about the risk of heart attack and stroke, but failed to provide any indication of these potential side effects on their products’ labeling or advertising materials.If you or a loved one suffered a heart attack, stroke, pulmonary embolism or other serious side effect while on testosterone therapy, our attorneys may be able to help you file a lawsuit seeking compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering and other damages.
To learn more about filing a lawsuit for yourself or a family member, contact us today at 888-291-2431 and ask to speak to one of our testosterone treatment lawyers or click the case review link on the left.
Medical Studies Investigate Health Risks of Testosterone Treatments
On January 31, 2014, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it is investigating the health risks of testosterone therapy products after recent studies showed an increased risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attack, stroke, blood clots and death, among groups of men prescribed testosterone therapy. The actions of the FDA were prompted by research from a major study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which reports elevated health risks to those treated with testosterone supplements.
Testosterone is a hormone essential to the development of male growth and masculine characteristics. It has a role in sex drive, and it helps men maintain muscle mass, red blood cell production, fat distribution and bone density. These products are approved only for use in men who lack or have low testosterone levels in conjunction with an associated medical condition. Such conditions include, but are not limited to:
• Hypogonadism: The failure of the testicles to produce testosterone due to reasons such as genetic problems.• Chemotherapy treatment• Problems with the hypothalamus and pituitary gland that control the production of testosterone by the testicles.
None of the FDA-approved testosterone products are approved for use in men with low testosterone levels who lack one of the associated medical conditions.
What is low testosterone therapy?
Testosterone therapy or low T treatment is prescribed to men to combat the natural decline in testosterone as they age. It helps improve sex drive, strengthen bone density and build muscle mass.
Testosterone therapy is most often administered as a gel, patch or injection. Testosterone replacement therapy users report serious health problems from taking the following drugs:
• Androderm• Axirom• Bio-T-Gel• Delatestryl• Depo-Testosterone• Fortesta• Striant• Testim• Testopel
Testosterone Therapy for Low T Carries Risk of Heart Attack or Stroke
In 2011, more than 5 million prescriptions for testosterone treatments were written in the United States alone. New research has shown these testosterone treatments are more dangerous than initially thought. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found a definitive increased health risk among men with signs of heart problems who are taking testosterone supplements.
The study conducted by researchers at the University of Texas examined 9,000 male veterans with an average age of 60 who had gone through at least one coronary angiography between 2005 and 2011. This procedure is meant for people experiencing symptoms like chest pain or for individuals at increased risk of heart problems.
About 1,200 of the men who had the coronary angiography also had low testosterone levels. They began taking testosterone treatments soon after.Researchers followed up with the men receiving testosterone a little over 2 years later. The results showed that numerous men had either suffered a heart attack, stroke or death from any cause. About 20 percent of the men who did not take testosterone supplements also experienced such health problems or died from any cause.
According to the study, men who did low T therapy with the following signs of health problems had a greater increase for risk of stroke, heart attack or death. Heart problems that could potentially elevate the risk of men undergoing testosterone treatments included the following:
• plaque build-up• artery blockage• high cholesterol• diabetes• obesity
The authors of the study recommended that physicians should prescribe low testosterone treatments with more caution.
Testosterone Treatment Marketing Worries Medical Experts
Due to the seriousness of the above study’s findings the medical community is becoming increasingly wary of the use of Low T therapy. Some medical professionals worry about the dangers of aggressive direct marketing undertaken the low testosterone manufacturers.
AbbVie, Inc., the manufacturer of AndroGel, a heavily marketed testosterone supplement, issued a statement in response to the study, acknowledging their product could cause serious problems for people who have heart, kidney or lung disease.
In 2011, more than 5 million prescriptions were written for testosterone in the US according to news reports. News media covering the large increase in prescription testosterone product sales report that pharmaceutical advertising of testosterone products promotes excessive and inappropriate use of the drug. In 2013, the New York Times reported that many physicians believe that the testosterone products may have questionable medical benefits for the millions of men who now take them while the side effects remain very dangerous. When asked about these prevalent testosterone therapy drugs, Dr. Eric Topol, cardiologist and chief academic officer at Scripps Health in San Diego, got straight to the point, stating, “These medicines come with a risk of coronary artery disease.” Despite its questionable medical value, the industry made over $2 billion on testosterone therapy gels in 2012 alone due to its marketing of testosterone products as “lifestyle products.”
You May Want To Consider Filing A Low Testosterone Therapy Lawsuit
What should you do if you are currently undergoing treatments for low testosterone or testosterone replacement therapy:
Contact our office today for a free case evaluation. We are currently investigating legal claims regarding men who suffered a stroke, heart attack or even died while taking low T treatments or testosterone therapy. There is no cost to file a testosterone lawsuit with The Law Office of Derriel C. McCorvey, LLC.To review a potential case for yourself, a family member or friend, please call 888-291-2431 and ask to speak to one of our testosterone treatment lawyers or click on the case review button on the left.
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