Class action claims Strides testosterone gel is contaminated with benzene

Strides class action lawsuit overview:

• Who: A group of consumers are suing Strides Pharma Inc.
• Why: The plaintiffs claim Strides Pharma sold testosterone gel contaminated with benzene.
• Where: The Strides class action lawsuit was filed in New York federal court.

A new class action lawsuit alleges Strides Pharma sold testosterone gel that was contaminated with benzene.

Plaintiff May Painter and six others filed the testosterone gel class action lawsuit against Strides Pharma on May 19 in New York federal court, alleging violations of state and federal consumer laws.

According to the lawsuit, Strides Pharma sold testosterone gel containing benzene, a known carcinogen, without proper disclosure or adherence to safety regulations.

The plaintiffs claim the company’s actions have put consumers at risk and violated federal manufacturing standards.

Benzene is a recognized Class I carcinogen, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has deemed its presence in prescription drugs “unacceptable” since at least 1997, the plaintiffs explain. Despite this, Strides allegedly manufactured its testosterone gel with an ingredient known to contain benzene, Carbomer 940, long after the FDA warned against its use.

Benzene contamination widespread, lawsuit alleges

The lawsuit claims that Strides failed to adopt adequate testing and quality assurance procedures to ensure that benzene-contaminated products were not released to the public. As a result, more than 13 million doses of the contaminated gel have been recalled, the plaintiffs say.

The plaintiffs allege Strides was able to sell its contaminated testosterone gel by misrepresenting the product’s quality and purity. 

The company allegedly falsely claimed that its drugs complied with all FDA requirements, which allowed them to be listed as a generic equivalent in the FDA’s “Orange Book” and sold under state law and industry norms.

Without these false representations, the plaintiffs argue, Strides would not have been able to sell its adulterated product. The plaintiffs claim the drugs were economically worthless and that all purchasers in the distribution chain reasonably relied on Strides’ representations.

As a result, the plaintiffs are looking to represent anyone in the United States who purchased Strides’ testosterone gel product that was recalled due to benzene contamination or that similarly failed to meet the applicable current good manufacturing practice requirements but was not recalled.

The plaintiffs are suing for breach of warranty, violations of state consumer laws and fraud. They are seeking certification of the Strides Pharma class action lawsuit, damages, fees, costs and a jury trial.

Recently, Unilever, Aeropres and Voyant Beauty began finalizing a settlement to end allegations about benzene in dry shampoo aerosol products. Also, Unilever agreed to a $2 million settlement now open for claims to resolve allegations it sold aerosol deodorants contaminated with benzene.

What do you think of the allegations in this Strides Pharma class action lawsuit? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiffs are represented by Aaron K. Block and Max Marks of The Block Firm LLC and Roshan D. Shah of Shah Law Group LLC.

The Strides testosterone gel class action lawsuit is Painter, et al. v. Strides Pharma Inc., Case No. 7:25-cv-04189, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

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