In recent years, the pharmaceutical industry has touted a variety of drugs used to treat men with low testosterone, offering relief from symptoms such as depression, fatigue, loss of libido, and decreased muscle mass. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved numerous skin patches, topical gels, and injections used in testosterone replacement therapy for men with abnormally low testosterone, research has found that the drugs are linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
As a result, the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen has lobbied the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to immediately add a black box warning label – the most serious warning issued by the FDA – to the product labels of the previously approved testosterone drugs.
One study found that 43 percent of men taking testosterone replacement drugs did not, in fact, suffer from low testosterone levels. It is not surprising that the annual prescriptions for “low T” doubled in the past four years, as marketing campaigns for many testosterone products sell the drugs as a sort of fountain of youth that reverses the natural decline of testosterone production in men over the age of 40.
Last month, the FDA issued an alert that it would investigate the serious health risks of taking testosterone replacement drugs, but Public Citizen and other health advocates believe that the risks are already highly significant.
Epidemiologist William Finkle and the researchers at UCLA recently analyzed insurance claims for more than 55,000 men and found that the risk of heart attacks in men 65 and older doubled within 90 days of starting testosterone treatments. For men younger than 65, the risk of cardiac problems tripled, especially if they had a history of heart disease.
While the hazards associated with testosterone treatments are serious, make sure to consult with your doctor before you stop taking it.
If you or someone you love has been treated for low testosterone and suffered a cardiac event as a result, please do not hesitate to contact Florida testosterone therapy side effect attorneys at Farah & Farah. Our legal team has the experience and resources necessary to take on negligent pharmaceutical companies that have put a profit before patient safety. If you have questions or would like to discuss your case during a free and comprehensive consultation, call us at (866) 794-7530 or submit an online contact form.
