Certain illnesses and conditions can cause a man’s testosterone level to drop; sometimes, it is simply a matter of aging. Low testosterone levels can present with fatigue or erectile dysfunction, and can affect both your mood and your ability to keep your weight under control. For these reasons (among others) doctors may prescribed testosterone replacement therapy.

AndroGel, and other replacement therapies like it, is applied topically. The testosterone seems in through the skin and raises the level of hormones in a man’s body. Unfortunately, it has a number of dangerous side effects, not only for users but for their partners and family members.

What problems are associated with these drugs?

Testosterone products have been linked to:

  • Heart attacks
  • Strokes
  • Blood clots
  • Prostate cancer
  • Worsening sleep apnea

In men over the age of 65, or who have underlying conditions, the risk of a heart attack increases as much as three-fold.

Furthermore, products like AndroGel are dangerous to women and children. Because these drugs are absorbed through the skin, literally anyone who comes in contact with them is at risk. Pregnant women who are physically exposed to AndroGel and similar products can cause serious birth defects; children who absorb the product into their skin may begin puberty much sooner.

Insulin and blood thinners also react negatively to products like AndroGel.

Who is responsible?

Lawsuits have been filed against pharmaceutical companies and their manufacturers, as well as against prescribing doctors. In patients whose Low T symptoms are a matter of the aging as opposed to another condition, prescribing testosterone replacement therapy may be deemed negligent on behalf of doctors.

Pharmaceutical companies may also be held accountable for the effects of AndroGel because of how dangerous they can be – not only to the men who use them, but to the innocent bystanders who come into contact with the products accidentally or unknowingly. There are also medical professionals out there who claim that Low T is a myth perpetrated by pharmaceutical companies to increase revenue, and that there are no health benefits associated with the therapy for healthy men.

Plaxen & Adler, P.A. offers comprehensive legal counsel to personal injury and medical malpractice victims throughout Maryland. If you have questions about testosterone replacement therapy, we invite you to contact us and make an appointment with an experienced Baltimore defective drug attorney.