Product News and Recalls

Testosterone therapy shown to be uneccessary in many cases

A recent story in the Washington Post describes a report by the Endocrine Society that many men are receiving testosterone therapy when they do not need it.  The research demonstrates that a large portion of patients do not meet the accepted clinical criteria for receiving testosterone treatment.

The male sex hormone, testosterone, naturally declines with age. Hypogonadism is a condition that results from low testosterone and one that is generally treated with therapy. However, many men are being treated for low testosterone without this condition, which exposes them to unnecessary risk. Some of the dangerous side effects of testosterone therapy include heart attack, blood clots, and stoke.

The study analyzed claims from the U.S. and U.K. between the years 2000 and 2011. The researchers found that since the year 2000, the number of men beginning therapy for low testosterone quadrupled in the U.S. Meanwhile, in the U.K., the number increased by only a third.

The author of the study stated that, “while direct-to-consumer advertising and the availability of convenient topical gels may be driving more men to seek treatment, our study suggests that many of those who start taking testosterone may not have a clear medical indication to do so.”

Marketing tactics seeking to produce more clients may be the cause of this unnecessary rise in treatment. To counteract this trend, the Endocrine Society advocates making a clinical diagnosis only in cases of consistent symptoms and unequivocally low testosterone levels.

A majority of patients in the study had not had their testosterone levels tested recently or only did so once.

You should consult a medical professional before altering your healthcare plan. If you or a loved one suffered a serious injury after taking testosterone therapy, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact a Lopez McHugh attorney for a free initial case evaluation.