Testosterone: What to Ask About a Claim in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania TRT cases filed in the E.D. Pa., M.D. Pa., or W.D. Pa. were transferred to MDL 2545 in the Northern District of Illinois before Judge Matthew Kennelly. Pennsylvania has contributed substantial numbers of MDL plaintiffs, particularly from the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh metro areas. MDL 2545 was largely resolved through global settlements and 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.

Pennsylvania's statute of limitations for personal injury and products liability is two years under 42 Pa. C.S. § 5524. The discovery rule tolls the period until the plaintiff knew or reasonably should have known of the injury and its causal link to TRT. Pennsylvania courts apply the discovery rule to pharmaceutical injury claims, and courts have held that limitations does not begin until a plaintiff has reason to investigate manufacturer fault — not merely the occurrence of injury. For TRT heart attack claims, this typically begins when a physician or attorney links the event to TRT exposure.

Pennsylvania has elevated rates of cardiovascular disease, particularly among men in the industrial and post-industrial communities of Western Pennsylvania, the Lehigh Valley, and Central Pennsylvania. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh both have major academic medical centers where TRT patients were treated after cardiovascular events. Pennsylvania's high rates of hypertension and obesity in the male population aged 45–65 overlapped significantly with the demographic marketed TRT products between 2010 and 2015.

Pennsylvania plaintiffs may file in Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas or in federal district court. Philadelphia's Court of Common Pleas has a Mass Tort Program with experienced judges who handle pharmaceutical product liability litigation. Cases filed in Philadelphia state court may be removed to the E.D. Pa.; MDL 2545 (N.D. Ill.) is no longer on the JPML's list of pending MDLs (Oct. 1, 2026 report). Pennsylvania applies strict liability for manufacturing defects and design defects under the Restatement (Second) of Torts § 402A, as adopted in Webb v. Zern.