Testosterone: What to Ask About a Claim in California

MDL 2545 — In re: Testosterone Replacement Therapy Products Liability Litigation — was consolidated in the Northern District of Illinois before Judge Matthew Kennelly in Chicago. California cases filed in federal court were typically transferred to N.D. Illinois for coordinated pretrial proceedings under 28 U.S.C. § 1407. The MDL is largely resolved after global settlement agreements with AbbVie (AndroGel), Endo Pharmaceuticals, and Auxilium, and it is no longer on the JPML's list of pending MDLs (Oct. 1, 2026 report); an attorney can say whether any route remains for a new claim.

California's statute of limitations for personal injury and products liability is two years under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. The discovery rule tolls the limitations period until the plaintiff knew or reasonably should have known that a TRT product caused the cardiovascular injury — including heart attack, stroke, deep vein thrombosis, or pulmonary embolism. Given the FDA's 2015 black-box cardiovascular warning, courts often scrutinize when a California plaintiff had constructive notice of causation. Case evaluation by an attorney is advisable.

California leads the nation in TRT prescriptions, with particularly high rates in Los Angeles, San Diego, the Bay Area, and Sacramento. Cardiologists and endocrinologists throughout the state treated a significant volume of men prescribed AndroGel and Axiron between 2010 and 2015 before the FDA cardiovascular warning was widely communicated. California's large male population aged 40–65 and the state's active concierge medicine and men's health clinic market contributed to elevated TRT exposure rates.

California plaintiffs may also assert claims under California consumer protection statutes including the Consumers Legal Remedies Act and Unfair Competition Law in addition to standard products liability and negligence theories. MDL 2545 (N.D. Ill.) is no longer on the JPML's list of pending MDLs (Oct. 1, 2026 report); an attorney can say whether any route remains for a new claim.