Arizona husband and wife Larry M. and Sara M. are suing Pfizer Inc. after Larry suffered injuries allegedly caused by Pfizer’s testosterone product. Larry claims that as a direct result of using Depo-Testosterone, he suffered a near-fatal heart attack.

Across the country, millions of men are under the impression that their testosterone levels may be depleting as they get older. This leads many of them to request low testosterone (low-T) treatment products such as Depo-Testosterone in order to prevent further lowering of the hormones, to replenish the lost testosterone, and to maintain an active lifestyle.

Larry was prescribed Depo-Testosterone in 1990, according to the testosterone lawsuit. He used it for decades, following printed instructions and the advice of his physician. The low-T product initially worked well for Larry, and continued to work well for its intended purpose.

At some point in April 2007, Larry reportedly suffered a heart attack while doing routine activities, and had to be hospitalized for immediate treatment. Even though he survived the event, Larry is still at high risk for recurrence, strokes, myocardial infarctions, other blood clot injuries, and death.

Larry ended his Depo-Testosterone prescription in 2013, after learning that scientists speculate that low-T products might increase the risk of blood-clotting events. Larry and Sara are filing a Depo-Testosterone lawsuit against Pfizer for failing to adequately warn of the dangers of their product. Larry asserts that had he known about the possible blood-clotting events, he never would have used Depo-Testosterone.

Larry and Sara are suing Pfizer for manufacturing, selling, distributing, and marketing an allegedly dangerous product. The charges include negligence, false advertising, concealing information, and misrepresenting a product.

This Testosterone Replacement Therapy Lawsuit is In Re: Testosterone Replacement Therapy Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2545, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Overview of Testosterone Therapy Complications

The FDA approved Depo-Testosterone in July 1979 as a testosterone replacement therapy product for men suffering from testosterone deficiency or complications. Testosterone is a vital hormone for men as it is responsible for sex drive and libido, affects energy levels, and maintains secondary sex characteristics.

According to experts, men begin experiencing testosterone loss after the age of 30. Pharmaceutical companies jumped at the opportunity to fix this. For years, companies like Pfizer have marketed low-T products like Depo-Testosterone to middle-aged or elderly men suffering from testosterone deficiency.

According to court records, drug companies allegedly used misleading or false statements that described the symptoms men were experiencing, such as fatigue, irritability, weight gain, and loss of libido, as signs of testosterone loss. The advertisements failed to mention that decreasing testosterone is a natural process, and that the symptoms men were experiencing were simply the side effects of aging.

Depo-Testosterone lawsuits allege that prescriptions for the low-T drug became so common that the manufacturers were more concerned about the profitability of their products than the safety of consumers. The FDA warned against prescribing low-T products to men who did not need them, stating that unless a patient is suffering from a true testosterone-depleting condition, like hypogonadism, then men should not use these products.