AndroGel Lawyer

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An AndroGel lawsuit demands compensation if you suffered serious side effects after using this testosterone drug. AndroGel is a testosterone therapy product produced and distributed by AbbVie, Inc., an international pharmaceutical company, and is the most commonly prescribed daily testosterone replacement therapy.

Many lawsuits have been filed by men who were unaware of the serious complications of this method of testosterone treatment and suffered from a heart attack, stroke, or other life-threatening complications.

If you or someone you care about used AndroGel and suffered harm, our dangerous drug attorneys can help you demand justice.

AndroGel is a topical gel containing testosterone. Once applied to the skin, the drug is delivered through the skin, in what is advertised as a safe and effective way to increase men’s natural testosterone levels. The manufacturer, AbbVie, Inc., also claims that their formula protects other people from accidentally coming into contact with the drug through normal daily activities.

• What are the Reported Complications with AndroGel?
• Journal of the American Medical Association and FDA Findings
• Has the FDA Recalled AndroGel?
• Who is AbbVie Inc.?

Reported Complications with AndroGel

Researchers found men who used testosterone therapy–including AndroGel–were 30 percent more likely to have a heart attack, stroke, or die after three years of use.

A second study found that men had a significant increase in the risk of heart attack and stroke in just the first 90 days of testosterone therapy use. Furthermore, men who started the study with clear, unobstructed coronary arteries were just as likely to have a heart attack, stroke, or die as men who entered the study with established coronary artery disease.

Some reported complications with AndroGel include:

• Pulmonary embolism
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Blood clots
• Death

Heart Attacks and Strokes

Testosterone treatment of older men was associated with a significant increase of coronary artery plaque, a waxy substance that can build up, harden and reduce the flow of oxygen to the heart. The results of a study done reached this conclusion and were published in February 2017 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

On March 3, 2015, the FDA announced that it was requiring all manufacturers of testosterone medications to add warnings about an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Stroke is most likely found in people with the following characteristics:

• Male, 60+ years of age
• Has used the drug for 2-5 years
• Low level of blood testosterone

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration updated the product labels as of January 2014.  The revised labels clarify the approved uses of these medications and include information about the adverse effects the drug causes; specifically strokes and heart attacks.

Journal of the American Medical Associate Reports & FDA Findings on AndroGel

The Journal of the American Medical Association found in its 2013 report that testosterone treatments may increase the serious risk of heart attacks, blood clots, strokes, and even death in men. The various drugs are advertised as a solution for men who cannot produce enough testosterone and suffer from reduced sexual functions, energy, and muscle mass.

The study looked at over 8,000 men who were diagnosed with low testosterone levels (or Low-T) and treated with testosterone therapy drugs. A second study in 2014 found that Low-T treatments double the risk of cardiac arrest in young men with a preexisting condition and in men over the age of 65.

In light of the increasing usage of testosterone therapy drugs and the men suffering from adverse side effects, the FDA conducted an investigation into the drugs’ labeling. Earlier this fall, an FDA advisory panel strongly recommended that testosterone therapy drugs need to be updated so as to limit who may receive a prescription. The panel recommended the labels specifically limit the use of testosterone therapy for health issues that can be explained by aging, such as decreased sexual functions or energy.

Stricter labels will reduce the number of patients receiving the treatment and limit the insurance coverage. As the JAMA study noted, Low-T treatment is a booming market as there were over 5.3 million prescriptions and the market reached $1.6 billion in 2011 alone. The panel specifically called out AbbVie’s AndroGel as an example of easy-to-use and easy-to-get testosterone drugs.

Has the FDA Recalled AndroGel?

Despite the FDA safety announcement from May 2015, a recall has not been issued for testosterone replacement products.

As part of this safety announcement, the FDA mandated that prescription testosterone products are only approved for men with certain medical conditions. They also required manufacturers of all approved testosterone products to update their labels with the approved uses of the medications and information about the increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Litigation against AbbVie Inc.

AbbVie Inc. has faced litigation from thousands of men who claimed the company misrepresented the risks of their testosterone replacement drug AndroGel.

Jesse Mitchell suffered a heart attack in 2012 and sued AbbVie Inc. for fraudulently misrepresenting AndroGel. His case was one of 6,000 grouped together in a federal court in Chicago and he was awarded more than $150 million in punitive damages. Another man, Jeffrey Konrad, was awarded $140 million in punitive damages.

A federal judge in Oregon ordered AbbVie to pay $3.2 million to a man who claims AndroGel caused his heart attack.

Who is AbbVie?

AbbVie Inc. is an American biopharmaceutical company founded in 2013 and is a spin-off of Abbott Laboratories. The company had total product sales of $1.52 billion dollars in 2012 and trades as ABBV on the New York Stock Exchange. AbbVie, Inc. is known to manufacture numerous prescription drugs and generic medications.

Contact an Experienced AndroGel Attorney Today

If you or someone you care about have used AndroGel and suffered a heart attack, stroke, or other complications, you may benefit from speaking with a dangerous drug attorney. The following criteria must be met to participate in an AndroGel lawsuit:

• Must be male
• Suffered one of the following:
  • Heart attack
  • Myocardial infarction
  • Blood clots
  • Stroke
  • Pulmonary embolism
  • Deep vein thrombosis
  • Cardiogenic embolism
  • Blindness or other injury caused by a blood clot

People who have experienced any of these symptoms after using this drug should contact an AndroGel lawyer about the possibility of filing a lawsuit. We charge no fees unless we win.