Lawsuit Filed Against Prostrakan’s Testosterone Gel

Recently,  a product liability suit against prostrakan, the maker of a product called Foresta gel was filed after a man suffered a heart attack. He claims they failed to provide adequate warnings about the increased risk of cardiovascular issues, such as having a heart attack, when on the medication.

The case is just one of a large number of similar lawsuits that have been growing in the past few years. Many different drugs are named in these suits, including Testim, Axiron, and Androgel. The suits allege that the companies have been marketing these drugs without providing all of the safety information about those products, thus making it difficult for men and the medical community to make sound decisions on whether they should take the drugs for their low testosterone or not.

The sales of drugs to help with low T have been growing substantially over the past several years. They are already accounting for more than $2 billion a year. The overuse of the meds with men who do not have any actual need could be contributing to the rising number of problematic cases.

The Purpose of the Drugs

These gels and other treatments are for those men who have an actual testosterone deficiency as a part of a medical condition. Since the prescribed usages were so narrow in nature and applied to only a small number of conditions, it meant that the amount of money the drug makers were bringing in from the product was actually quite low. Thus, the marketing push for many of these drugs started to see a change. The marketing campaigns told men that they should start to seek testosterone replacement therapy for a number of other conditions and symptoms, including moodiness, fatigue, lack of energy, and lack of sex drive.

Health Risks with Low T Drugs

Many of the lawsuits against the manufacturers of these drugs focus on the correlation between heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems with the drugs. A study from the Journal of the American Medical Association claimed that part of the side effects of these drugs could be an increased risk of heart attack for older men who already had heart problems.

This was not the only study done in regards to the drugs though. Another study from the medical journal PLOSOne found that the treatments could actually increase the risk of heart attack, even among younger men who had heart disease, as well as those who were 65 and older and who did not have any risk of heart trouble.

Due to the number of complaints and the findings of these recent studies, the FDA began a safety review into these drugs.

With many cases already on the dockets, even more are on the way. Men who have taken the drug and who have had heart attacks, strokes, and other injuries are starting to speak with attorneys to gauge what they should do.

If you or anyone you know has had an injury after taking drugs for low T, it is a good idea to speak with an attorney who has experience in this sort of litigation. Fill out a form or call to receive a no obligation review of your case.

Notwithstanding claims relating to this product, the drug/medical device remains approved by the U.S. FDA.