A Missouri resident has joined the multidistrict litigation alleging Depo-Testosterone and testosterone gel or injection products may carry an increased risk of heart attack.

The testosterone gel lawsuit alleges that the pharmaceutical company purposely deceived the medical community and consumers by recklessly marketing their testosterone replacement drugs and testosterone gel products as viable treatments for low testosterone to the medical community, withholding facts about life-threatening Depo-testosterone side effects.

Plaintiff Stephen T. claims in the Depo-Testosterone side effects lawsuit that he suffered a myocardial infarction, more commonly known as a heart attack, in March 2013 resulting from taking Depo-Testosterone during the period of July 22, 2011 through March 2012 to treat his low testosterone.

The FDA approved Depo-Testosterone and testosterone gel products for the treatment of adult males who have low or no testosterone (a condition called hypogonadism) in conjunction with an associated medical condition such as failure of the testicles to produce testosterone, genetic problems, or chemotherapy.

Pharmacia & Upjohn Company is a division of Pfizer and manufactures Depo-Testosterone as a treatment option for low testosterone or “Low T.” According to the testosterone lawsuit, Pfizer allegedly promoted Depo-Testosterone for “off-label” purposes, knowing that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had not approved the drug for the treatment of low testosterone.

What is Depo-Testosterone?

Depo-Testosterone is one of many testosterone replacement drugs used to treat men with very low levels of testosterone due to a serious medical condition (hypogonadism, chemotherapy, missing or damaged testicles, and more). Depo-Testosterone is given by injection by a doctor, usually every one to four weeks.

Once a patient starts using Depo-Testosterone or a testosterone gel product, his body stops making testosterone naturally, which means treatment is a lifetime commitment.

Depo-Testosterone and testosterone gel products treat low levels of testosterone, a hormone essential to male growth, sexual health, and masculine characteristics. Depo-Testosterone is only approved to treat low testosterone in conjunction with one of the following serious medical conditions:

• Hypogonadism
• Genetic problems with testosterone production
• Chemotherapy
• Problems with brain (hypothalmus or pituitary) that control testosterone
• Missing or damaged testicles

Testosterone Gel, Injections Linked to Heart Attack Risk

Numerous medical studies have uncovered a troubling link between Depo Testosterone side effects and heart attacks. Some key study findings used in Depo-Testosterone heart attack lawsuits include:

• A 2014 study published in PLoS One reported that testosterone treatment doubles risk of heart attack for men over 65, and triples risk for men under 65 with pre-existing heart disease.
• A study published in the 2013 Journal of the American Medical Association found testosterone was linked to a 30 percent increased risk of heart attack in first 90 days of treatment.
• A 2009 study in the New England Journal of Medicine stopped a trial prematurely because patients on testosterone had twice as many adverse events and five times as many cardiovascular events.

Stephen is seeking punitive damages for Pharmacia and Pfizer’s alleged negligent misrepresentation of Depo Testosterone side effects and all reasonable court costs. His wife also joins the lawsuit with claims of loss of consortium (loss of intimacy with a spouse).

The Depo-Testosterone Side Effects Lawsuit is Case No. 1:16-cv-02545, filed within the larger Testosterone Replacement Drugs litigation known as MDL No. 2545 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division.