More than 2 million middle-aged men – mostly over the age of 50 – are now using testosterone therapy to treat a range of symptoms – low sex drive, weight gain and bad moods – commonly associated with the natural aging process, but marketed by the pharmaceutical industry as caused by “Low-T.”
But, a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that testosterone therapy won’t improve the conditions for which the drugs are marketed.
The study, ironically funded by the multi-billion dollar drug makers that sell Low-T drugs, gave men over the age of 60, all of whom had low to normal levels of testosterone, either testosterone gel or a placebo every day for three years.
According to the study, there was no improvement in overall sexual function, partner intimacy or health-related quality of life, dispelling the promises that drug makers spend millions to make. In 2013, two testosterone manufacturers AbbVie and Eli Lilly Co. spent a combined $119 million on TV ads, touting the benefits of testosterone therapy.
In May, the Federal Drug Administration required testosterone manufacturers to release new instructions for doctors making it clear that testosterone is not approved for “low-T.” Two medical professors openly criticized the decision, saying it came “seven years, at least 25 million prescriptions and $9.7 billion in sales too late.”
Critics have questioned the safety of the drugs, particularly after recent have shown testosterone gels can double or even triple the risk of heart attack for some men.
Testosterone therapy products, such as AndroGel and Axirom, have been at the center of thousands of lawsuits alleging the drugs caused men to experience heart attack or other cardiovascular events after using them.
Contact Langdon & Emison
Langdon & Emison is handling a number of cases on behalf of clients suffering from the effects of testosterone therapies. For more information or for a free case evaluation, contact Langdon & Emison at 866-931-2115.