What Is Testosterone Replacement Therapy?

Testosterone replacement therapy is commonly known as TRT. It is supposed to be used by men who suffer from decreased testosterone levels, or low-T. The level of testosterone in a man tends to decrease by an average of one percent per year after a man passes the age of 30. However, that does not mean that every man needs TRT, as the decrease in testosterone is a natural process. It just drops more in some men than it does in others.

What Problems Arose with TRT?

Problems began to arise with regards to TRT because several studies and investigations have been done that indicated a few important things:

1. Using testosterone replacement products can increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke by a factor of 5.
2. Even men under the age of 60 face this heightened risk, unlike what was previously thought.
3. Testosterone replacement therapy products are marketed in an extremely aggressive manner, meaning that many men are using them who likely do not need them.

As a result of these different findings, the FDA has recently announced that it will take another look at these products. No one knows what that analysis could lead to at this point. Given all of these developments and the harm that has been suffered by men around the country, many believe that the lawsuits recently filed in Illinois will be only the first of many.

Testosterone Replacement Therapy Side Effects and Your Legal Rights

The FDA approved warning associated with Testosterone gells include the following products.

• AndroGel (AbbVie, formerly a division of Abbott Laboratories)
  Testosterone therapy gel applied directly to the skin.
• AndroDerm (Actavis plc, formerly known as Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
  Testosterone treatment patch or film that delivers medication through the skin.
• Axiron (Eli Lilly and Company)
  Testosterone therapy gel which is applied to the armpits.
• Bio-T-Gel (GlaxoSmithKline plc)
  Testosterone treatment gel that is applied to the skin.
• Delatestryl (Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
  Injectable testosterone drug.
• Depo-Testosterone (Pfizer, Inc.)
  Injectable testosterone pharmaceutical.
• Fortesta (Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
  Testosterone spray gel that is applied directly to the skin.
• Striant (Mipharm S.p.A. for Columbia Laboratories, Inc.)
  Time release testosterone tablet.
• Testim (Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
  Testosterone therapy gel that is applied to the skin.
• Testopel (Slate Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
  Slow release testosterone implant that is inserted under the skin.

The FDA warning signs are:

• Heart Attack
• Strokes
• Blood Clots
• Death

Alone, or in combination, a patient taking Low T therapy must seek prompt medical attention if these symptoms appear. A patient does not need to take the medication for an extended period of time before experiencing adverse side effects according to the FDA.