The widow of a man who used a popular testosterone-replacement drug is suing the makers, alleging her husband was killed by the drug.
Dionna Gipson, individually and as representative of the late Alvin Gipson, filed a lawsuit Aug. 6 in Cook County Circuit Court against AbbVie Inc., Abbott Laboratories, Besins Healthcare Inc., Besins Healthcare, Unimed Pharmaceuticals, AbbVie Products, Solvay and Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., alleging strict product liability and negligence.
According to the complaint, the prescription to Alvin Gipson of the testosterone-replacement therapy called AndroGel and Fortesta is made, sold or distributed by the defendants. The suit says "the defendants misrepresented that TRT is a safe and effective treatment for hypogonadism and a condition they referred to as 'low T' or 'low testosterone,' when, in fact, the drug causes serious medical problems, including life-threatening cardiac events, strokes and thromboembolic events."
Alvin Gipson took TRT from September 2011 until he died Aug. 7, 2013, the lawsuit states, which "took its toll on [his] cardio-vascular system" and he suffered a "heart attack, or attacks, and death."
The plaintiff alleges strict product liability, negligence, breach of implied and express warranties, fraud, negligent misrepresentation, design defect and wrongful death.
Dionna Gipson seeks unspecified damages and loss of earnings, as well as restitution, injunctive relief, attorney fees and court costs. She is represented by attorneys Michael J. Quillin, James G. Onder and Gerald L. Guerra of Onder, Shelton, O'Leary & Peterson in St. Louis.
Cook County Circuit Court case number 2015L008060.