Mayo Clinic and New York Times Consider the Risks and Marketing of Testosterone Therapy
Recent studies have revealed that the use of testosterone therapy may be related to increased risk of heart attack and stroke in men. A Mayo Clinic overview of the potentional risks of testosterone therapy is available here.
The New York Times published an interesting story on the marketing of testosterone therapy in the United States. The full article can be found here. The New York Times article explains that testosterone therapy was originally approved by the FDA for treatment of specific hormone deficiencies in men. However, pharmaceutical makers were soon marketing testosterone therapy to men who were suffering nothing more than the typical symptoms of aging. This broadbased marketing was likely responsible, at least in part, for the finding by the Journal of the American Medical Association that 25% of the testosterone therapy prescriptions had been filled without the doctor even taking a blood test to check testosterone levels in the patient. This successful marketing has lead to over $2 billion in annual sales of testosterone therapy.
Anyone considering the use testosterone therapy should discuss all the associates risks with a physician before making a decision.
if you or someone close to you suffered a heart attack or stroke while taking testosterone therapy, please contact us so that we can review the claim.