There are around 6,000 cases still pending against AbbVie for their testosterone product, AndroGel. Plaintiffs say AndroGel led to blood clots, heart attack, stroke and sudden death. Two trials have already ended both in jury verdicts against AbbVie totaling $290 million.
About AndroGel
The FDA approved testosterone products like AndroGel to treat hypogonadism. This illness is rare but happens to 4 to 5 million men in the United States. With hypogonadism, a man cannot produce sufficient amounts of testosterone. A blood test will confirm the disease.
To make more money, companies did not tell men about hypogonadism. Instead, they pushed testosterone products to help with male aging. Through marketing campaigns, manufacturers convinced thousands of men that they were suffering from low testosterone. They didn’t push for blood tests but self-diagnosis tests on their website. AbbVie swears their marketing of AndroGel adhered strictly to uses approved by the FDA. Plus, they insist they were in full compliance with other applicable standards.
Statistics have shown that as many as half of all men prescribed testosterone replacement therapy drugs do not have hypogonadism. Twenty-five percent of those men never even had blood tests before getting the medications.
AndroGel Trial
In June 2014, 45 lawsuits pending in four districts combined into a single multidistrict litigation in the Northern District of Illinois under U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly. The number of lawsuits had reached almost 8,000. After both trials, there are currently over 6,000 pending cases.
The reaction of the jury during the first two trials could mean justice for others going forward. However, the juries did clear manufacturer, AbbVie of product liability. But, the first jury still awarded $150 million in punitive damages. They cited that AbbVie used insidious marketing practices and flagrant misrepresentations of AndroGel’s safety. The second jury awarded the plaintiff $140,000 in compensatory damages and also $140 million in punitive.
The last AndroGel bellwether will begin in January 2018.
Testosterone Manufacturers are Accountable
Testosterone therapy industry has turned into a multibillion-dollar industry. Each year, American men spend $2 billion on testosterone. In fact, four times as many men used testosterone products in 2014 than in 2000. This also means that roughly 2.3 million Americans use this drug. Pharmaceutical drug manufacturers are responsible for informing people of all negative effects and risks associated with their medications. If people are not provided this information, they cannot make the best choices about their health.
How many of the men who chose to take these drugs would have made a different decision if they knew this information?
Seek Legal Help
If you or a man you know has suffered adverse cardiac effects as a result of taking testosterone therapy, you should consult with an attorney to explore your legal rights. The Michael Brady Lynch Firm is committed to litigating these cases and placing accountability on the responsible drug manufacturers.
Contact us today by calling (877) 513-9517 or fill out the form for a free consultation. There is no obligation.