$140 Million Verdict Against AbbieVie in “Low T” Trial
Jurors returned a $140 million verdict for the plaintiff in the latest testosterone (“Low T”) trial against manufacturer, AbbVie in October of 2017. The plaintiff had used Androgel® for two months prior to experiencing a heart attack. He sued AbbieVie in 2015. This is the second straight verdict against AbbieVie’s Androgel®, a testosterone replacement drug. The $140 million was in punitive damages, while $140,000 was awarded in compensatory damages. There are currently over 6,000 other lawsuits pending against AbbieVie.
What are Low Testosterone Drugs?
AndroGel® is one of many testosterone drugs on the market. Doctors may recommend testosterone therapy if men develop a condition called hypogonadism, which is when the body does not produce enough testosterone. Testosterone drugs were approved by the FDA for treatment of hypogonadism, but many drug companies advertised these drugs in a manner that promoted testosterone replacement as a therapy for the natural condition of aging. The sale of testosterone replacement drugs grew significantly as the result of these aggressive advertising campaigns. However, as the popularity of these drugs grew, scientific studies and test data emerged indicating increased rates of heart attacks and strokes in men using testosterone drugs. These studies eventually lead to the FDA requiring a label change in 2015 that warned of a cardiovascular risk associated with testosterone replacement therapies.
What are Compensatory Damages versus Punitive Damages?
Compensatory damages are awarded in court when a loss has been suffered by the plaintiff as the result of negligence or unlawful conduct. They are often used in an effort to punish the defendant. Punitive damages are awarded to compensate a plaintiff for injury or another incurred loss. In the two Androgel® trials to date, the compensatory damages have been significant. The juries have largely focused on the marketing practices used by AbbieVie in promoting its testosterone drug.
If you or a family member has suffered a stroke or a heart attack and you believe it may be related to the use of AndroGel® or other testosterone therapy drugs listed below, you should immediately contact an attorney for a free consultation about your potential lawsuit. Attorney Brett H. Oppenheimer is currently reviewing potential lawsuits for people using testosterone replacement therapy.
Low Testosterone Drugs:
- Androderm®
- AndroGel®
- Axirom®
- Delatestryl®
- Depo-Testosterone®
- Fortesta®
- Striant®
- Testim®
- Testope