On January 31, 2014, the Food
& Drug Administration ("FDA") launched an investigation into the
risks of testosterone replacement therapy through the use of products including
AndroGel®, AndroDerm®, Axiron®, and Testim®.
Alarming new research
suggests that millions of men may be at risk for a heart attack, stroke or
premature death by taking testosterone therapy they don’t actually need and “Low
T” testosterone replacement therapy lawsuits have already been filed in Federal
District Court.
Booming "Testoterone Replacement Therapy"
Market
In the past several years, testosterone
replacement therapies manufacturers have aggressively marketed their product
for treatment of common and natural effects of aging in men - - like normal
decline in sexual drive, energy and athleticism - - by describing these effects as a new medical
condition called “Low T.”
According to the industry,
such symptoms call for treatment with testosterone replacement therapy and a
prescription for one of their testosterone supplement products.
While testosterone has been
in limited clinical use since 1937 and approved by the FDA since 1953,
testosterone can now be administered by patients at home, and the drug comes in
at least five forms including patches, gels and injections.
According to the FDA,
prescription testosterone is only indicated for men with demonstrated low
testosterone levels and an associated medical condition known as
“hypogonadism.” In recent years, "testosterone
replacement treatments" use has increased radically, largely due to
increased manufacturers advertising on websites www.isitlowt.com and
www.low-testosterone-option.com.
Since 2001, the number of
testosterone prescriptions given to American men has tripled and in 2012 sales
were estimated at $2 billion with three million prescriptions being written for
the market leader AndroGel® alone.
Testoterone Replacement Therapy Litigation
Alarming new research
suggests that millions of men may be at risk for a heart attack, stroke or
premature death by taking testosterone therapy they don’t actually need.
On January 29, 2014, the
respected medical journal PLoS ONE found that prescription testosterone can
double the rate of heart attacks in men 65 and older and triple the risks in
younger men with a history of heart disease. Another study published by The Journal of the
American Medical Association found that men age 60 and older using testosterone
drugs had a 30 percent greater risk for stroke, heart attack, and death
compared to those who didn’t use testosterone replacement drugs.
Lawsuits related to the use
of testosterone replacement therapy for so-called “Low T” which seek
compensation for such injuries have already been filed in Federal District
Court.
