Can I sue the manufacturer of AndroGel if I used it and suffered a heart attack?
If you suffered a heart attack after using AndroGel, you might be able to sue the manufacturer for damages if certain elements exist. Hundreds of men and their families are already pursuing product liability claims against the company.
What is AndroGel and is it effective?
AndroGel is one of many treatments on the market used for patients with low testosterone or “low T.”
Other similar products include this list.
- Depo-Testosterone
- Androderm
- Fortesta
- Bio-T-Gel
- Testopel
- Delatestryl
Manufacturers claim that AIDS patients, older men wanting to combat the signs of aging, and those simply wanting to seek physical enhancement can benefit from testosterone therapy. The treatment is designed to increase libido and energy and promote the maintenance of muscle mass.
Some experts disagree with the use of low-T treatments and question its usefulness. For example, Dr. Adriane Fugh-Berman, director of a Georgetown University Medical Center prescription project, said in a USA Today report that the low testosterone treatment “offers no proven benefits for healthy men. Low T syndrome is invented by pharmaceutical companies to sell treatment products.”
Expert witnesses who offer testimony similar to Fugh-Berman’s are helpful when filing claims against behemoth companies like drug manufacturers. Even when the manufacturers make things that cause obvious harm such as in this case with the established heart attack deaths, it can be hard to fight a business as a single claimant. This is why having an established product liability lawyer on your side can be invaluable.
According to a study published in the November 2013 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association, men who take testosterone treatments have a 30 percent increased risk of stroke, heart attack, and death. The FDA is currently investigating the safety of low T treatments.
As “Low T” Prescriptions Rise, So Do Lawsuits
According to Live Science, low T prescriptions have tripled in the last decade. “This trend has been driven, in large part, by direct-to-consumer marketing campaigns that have targeted middle-aged men, and the expansion of clinics specializing in the treatment of low testosterone — or ‘low-T centers,'” commented Dr. Jacques Baillargeon, an associate professor of preventive medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch.
Thousands of men (or their families if the patient died) are filing product liability lawsuits against the manufacturer because they developed heart conditions or suffered heart attacks after undergoing AndroGel or other low T treatments.
Eligibility to File a Lawsuit
Many people are suing the manufacturer because they weren’t properly warned about the risks of taking the treatment. If you’ve suffered major complications after using AndroGel, you’ll want to consult a product liability lawyer to determine if the company was negligent and if you have a viable case.
For a free consultation with a product liability attorney in Ohio, call Bressman Law at (614) 538-1116.
