Abbvie Androgel Lawsuit

The class action attorneys at Morgan & Morgan are 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. 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 Morgan & Morgan, 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, contact us today for a free consultation.

Studies Highlight Serious Heart Risk for AndroGel, Testosterone Therapies

A study conducted by a group of researchers at the National Cancer Institute revealed that some men have an increased risk of suffering heart attacks while using prescription testosterone therapies. The study of approximately 56,000 patients found that men over the age of 65, as well as patients younger than 65 with a history of heart disease, had twice the rate of heart attacks in the three months after beginning testosterone therapy when compared to the year prior to treatment. The study also addressed whether these men were at a greater risk for cardiac problems due to an increase in libido caused by higher testosterone levels. When the study compared these men to a separate group of patients taking Viagra and Cialis, the men on the erectile dysfunction drugs patients did not experience more heart attacks.

Another study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association had similar results, finding that older men had a 29% increase in stroke, heart attack and death when undergoing testosterone therapy. Further supporting the link between testosterone therapy and heart risks, a 2009 federally-funded research study intended to address whether testosterone gels could help older men build muscle was stopped after researchers noticed that some of the study’s participants were suffering heart attacks and other cardiac problems.

FDA: Testosterone Products Must Have Labels Updated to Include Heart Attack, Stroke Risk

The FDA said that the makers of these drugs must update their labels to include these risks and clarify the only approved use for the prescriptions.

In March 2015, the FDA announced that all testosterone replacement therapies must have their labels updated after the agency reviewed several studies that suggested men using the “low T” therapies are at an increased risk for heart attacks and strokes. In a drug safety communication, the agency said that the treatments have been overprescribed to men suffering from low testosterone due to aging, rather than a related medical issue. Therefore, the FDA said that the makers of these drugs must update their labels to include these risks and clarify the only approved use for the prescriptions. Furthermore, the FDA warned doctors to only prescribe these treatments to men who have had medical tests performed verifying that their low testosterone levels are the result of hypogonadism or another medical issue.

Reports: Testosterone Therapy to Become $5 Billion Industry by 2017

Sales of testosterone gels, patches, injections and pills have soared in recent years, leading to increasing scrutiny that the drugs are being overprescribed to patients. According to the New York Times, studies show that 1 in 4 men who use these products never underwent routine blood tests to check for hypogonadism, a disorder that causes severe testosterone deficiency and the only condition for which testosterone therapy is approved. AndroGel has also faced criticism for its online “Low T Symptoms Quiz,” which prompts users to answer questions about symptoms that are so broad (Do You Have a Lack of Energy?, Are You Sad or Grumpy?), nearly anyone could answer “yes” and seek advice from their doctors about possibly having low testosterone levels.

In addition to AndroGel, testosterone therapies are sold under the following names:

• Testim
• Androderm
• Axiron
• Bio-T-Gel
• Delatestryl
• Dep-Testosterone
• Fortesta
• Striant
• Testopel