The family of a Virginia man has brought a wrongful death lawsuit against the makers of the AndroDerm testosterone patch, alleging that the company failed to provide adequate warnings about the risk of stroke, heart attack and blood clots associated with the controversial testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). The AndroDerm lawsuit was filed by the family of Alvin Harris in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, and names as defendants Watson Laboratories, Inc., Anda, Inc. and Actavis Pharma, formerly Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. If you believe you have been adversely affected by side effects of a low T treatment like AndroDerm, contact a skilled product liability lawyer today for legal help.
According to the complaint, Harris used the AndroDerm testosterone patch from October 2005 to February 2008, and again from July 2008 to May 2012. In October 2011, he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and in June and July 2012, he suffered strokes that ultimately led to his death in August 2012. In their wrongful death lawsuit, Harris’ family alleges that his cardiovascular injuries were caused by side effects of the testosterone treatment, and indicates that Harris had no history of strokes or blood clots prior to using AndroDerm.
AndroDerm was one of the first testosterone treatments approved in the United States, and was introduced in 1995 as a treatment for low testosterone caused by a medical condition known as hypogonadism. In recent years, serious concerns have been raised about the safety of testosterone replacement therapy, after a series of studies found that men using low T treatments like AndroDerm may face an increased risk of serious and potentially life-threatening cardiovascular side effects, including heart attack, stroke and blood clots.
In their complaint, Harris’ family accuses the AndroDerm makers of engaging in aggressive direct-to-consumer marketing for the controversial testosterone patch, causing millions of men to begin using testosterone replacement therapy, despite not actually suffering from low testosterone. “Defendants’ marketing campaign encouraged men to discuss testosterone replacement therapy with their doctors and consumers and their physicians relied on Defendants’ promises of safety, effectiveness and ease of use,” the lawsuit states. As a result, many men without low testosterone levels are using testosterone treatments like AndroDerm to combat fatigue, decreased sex drive, and other natural effects of aging.
As of July 15, at least 156 testosterone therapy lawsuits have been consolidated in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois, for pretrial proceedings as part of a multidistrict litigation (MDL). However, as testosterone treatment lawyers across the country continue to investigate TRT side effect claims filed on behalf of former users, it is expected that several thousand product liability lawsuits will be filed against the makers of various low T drugs. If you or a loved one has suffered a cardiovascular problem you believe to be linked to side effects of testosterone replacement therapy, our consumer advocates at the Consumer Justice Foundation can help put you in touch with a qualified attorney who has experience handling testosterone treatment claims.
