A New Jersey man has joined the Testosterone Replacement Therapy Products liability litigation alleging that AndroGel testosterone gel caused him to suffer from a basilar artery ischemia stroke.

Plaintiff Michael R. began using AndroGel testosterone gel in July 2011. He stopped using the testosterone gel in February 2014. On March 4, 2014, he suffered from a basilar artery ischemia stroke.

The particular kind of stroke that Michael experienced is quite rare and has a mortality rate of more than 85 percent. For those who survive a basilar artery stroke, the chance of having a recurrent stroke is 10 percent to 15 percent. Typically those who have a basilar artery stroke have poor functioning after the incident.

Michael has brought forth eight counts against drug maker AbbVie and a number of other companies involved in the manufacture and distribution of the testosterone gel product. The counts include strict liability counts of design defect and failure to warn, negligent misrepresentation, breaches of express and implied warranties, fraud, and punitive damages.

The plaintiff is seeking a jury trial and the damages requested are not specified in the master short-form complaint that was filed.

The AndroGel Lawsuit is Case No. 1:16-cv-02097, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.  It is part of the Testosterone Replacement Therapy MDL known as In re: Testosterone Replacement Therapy Prodcuts Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2545, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Testosterone Replacement Therapy and Side Effects

Testosterone replacement therapy is used to treat a condition in males called hypogonadism.  Hypogonadism is a condition where a man has low male sex hormones (testosterone).  This can be caused by the pituitary glands or testicles producing insufficient amounts of testosterone, and can lead to issues such as reduced muscle mass, diminished energy, low mood and sexual dysfunction.

Also known as low-t therapy or testosterone therapy, testosterone replacement therapy involves using synthetic testosterone to be given to men to supplement the levels in their body.  Testosterone can come in the form of a gel, like AndroGel, or can also be in a cream, injection, oral medication, patch or subcutaneous implant.

Some men report positive effects from testosterone supplementation, noting improvements in mood, muscle mass, libido and sexual functioning. Others are not so lucky and can develop troublesome side effects from testosterone replacement.

This can include breast enlargement, fluid retention, mood swings, aggression, reduced testicle size, acne, sleep apnea and prostate tissue stimulation leading to urinary frequency.

Severe side effects have also been reported, and these conditions are the basis of the many lawsuits in the testosterone product MDL. Serious conditions include:

• Stroke, mini-stroke and blood clots
• Increased risk of heart attack
• DVT (deep vein thrombosis)- development of blood clots in the deep veins of the body which may break loose and lead to pulmonary embolism
• PE (pulmonary embolism)- a sudden blockage of the artery in the lung often caused by a blood clot coming from a deep vein, which can lead to permanent lung damage or damage to other organs

Testosterone Product Lawsuit Information

Many men have experienced serious side effects from testosterone therapy, and due to the overwhelming number of lawsuits against testosterone product manufacturers, the lawsuits have been grouped in a single court under a single judge.

If you or a loved one has suffered a stroke, heart attack, pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis following use of a testosterone gel or other testosterone product, you may have a legal claim.  An experienced attorney can review your case at no charge and can  help you decide if filing an individual lawsuit or joining an MDL is right for you.