Yasmin DVT Put on Trial

Although trials of Yasmin and Yaz lawsuits are not set to begin until early next year, the drospirenone-based birth control pills are still a hot topic in the medical community. Many experts are arguing that, since many products are available that do the same job at a fraction of the risk, there is no value in keeping the controversial products on the market. Many patients have filed lawsuits against drugmaker Bayer, complaining of side effects they have suffered after taking the once-daily pill. The first bellwether trial involves a pulmonary embolism case. Pulmonary embolism is one of the most severe side effects of Yaz and Yasmin and occurs when a blood clot makes its way into a patient’s lung.

Yasmin Pulmonary Embolism Known to be Fatal

Yasmin pulmonary embolism has been linked to the death of at least one young woman who began taking the drospirenone-based fourth-generation birth control when she was just thirteen. Although she was not sexually active at the time, her dermatologist advised that she begin taking Yasmin or the generic form of the birth control pill, Ocella, as a treatment for acne. A number of other acne treatments had proven ineffective for Brittany Prewitt. Yasmin and Ocella are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration as an acne treatment, although the similar drug Yaz has been approved for use against acne.

Yaz Link to Blood Clots is 2 to 3 Times As Common

The FDA finally announced this week that they are evaluating the risk of blood clots from Yaz, Yasmin and Beyaz birth control, which some studies have shown to be 2 to 3 times greater than the risk associated with other birth control pills. Notice of the safety review into a possible risk of Yaz blood clots with birth control pills containing drospirenone was released by the FDA on May 31, providing additional information for women taking the medications. Included in the warning are all drospirenone birth control pills, which may be sold as: Yasmin, Yaz and Beyaz. The safety review was initiated based on two published studies that reported there is a greater risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) among women taking Yaz, Yasmin or other drospirenone birth control pills. The risk has been reported to be up to 2 to 3 times greater than the risk associated with levonorgestrel birth control pills.

Yaz Litigation Heats Up in Pennsylvania, New Jersey

Litigation surrounding popular birth control pills containing the synthetic hormone drospirenone and sold under the brand names Yaz and Yasmin has been consolidated in some states, including Pennsylvania, Illinois, and now New Jersey. One of the Yaz lawsuits filed by plaintiff Jean Cummins regarding the death of her daughter Michelle Pfleger was introduced in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas and was subsequently combined with other cases filed in the same state over drospirenone-based birth control pills.

Pfleger’s case was extraordinary but unfortunately not unheard-of. The 18-year-old college freshman was walking to class when she collapsed and died of a pulmonary thromboembolism that has been linked to Yaz, which she was taking to treat acne. The pulmonary thromboembolism was caused when a blood clot lodged in her lungs and created a blockage, leading to fatal cardiac arrest. Although death related to Yaz and similar products is not common, it is significant to note the very real risk of fatal complications with Yaz blood clots.

Although there is a chance of experiencing blood clots when taking any oral contraceptive or other form of hormonal birth control, a patient’s risk of developing a blood clot when taking Yaz is about six times more than if the patient is taking birth control with another hormone as the active ingredient. For this reason, many plaintiffs are saying that Yaz should be pulled from the market entirely – women have many other oral contraceptive options that simply do not come with the same kinds of risk associated with Yaz.

The seriousness of many Yaz side effects has led to a multitude of cases filed against Bayer Pharmaceuticals and other drospirenone birth control manufacturers. In some states, these cases have been consolidated in mass tort litigation. This will help to organize and expedite the legal process. Pennsylvania’s cases, including the wrongful death lawsuit related to Michelle Pfleger, are being handled by the Complex Litigation Center, part of the Court of Common Pleas. Judge Sandra M. Moss will oversee these lawsuits. A similar consolidation is taking place in New Jersey under Judge Brian R. Martinotti.

Blood Clots and Yaz Present High Correlation

Yaz brand birth control has many benefits to women, including prevention of pregnancy and reduction of acne. However, the benefits come with an extreme risk to women taking them – the serious side effects of Yaz potentially fatal blood clot and pulmonary embolism.

Over a thousand Yaz lawsuits have been filed by women who are taking the medication due to the fact that Bayer Corporation, the producers of the drug, have neglected to warn the public about the serious and life-threatening side effects of Yaz birth control, defending themselves with the claim that the benefits of the product far outweigh the risks involved in taking it.

Fourth Gen Birth Control More Dangerous Than Previous Three Combined.

There has been an ever-growing concern over the risk of blood clots related to Yaz and Yasmin birth control pills, due to their active ingredient drospirenone, known as the 4th generation progestin. The concern has grown to the point where the FDA has launched an investigation into claims that drospirenone can lead to an excessive risk of Yaz blood clots in women taking the pill. The drug drospirenone is a newer version of levonorgestrel, which was found in the typical birth control contraceptive until about eight years ago. The FDA found that the risk of blood clots and venous thromboembolism was excessively high when compared to older levonorgestrel-containing pills and recommended that the labels be updated. Both the FDA and its European counterparts note that the overall risk of a blood clot is still small.

Popular Birth Control Found to Have Dangerous Side Effects

Over the last three years, Yaz has turned into not just the most popular birth control method in the U.S. but the most profitable as well. Bayer has done a major marketing campaign in order to accomplish this, even making it a favorite of doctors around the country. But these rigorous marketing campaigns have been criticized because they are misleading and sometimes not even true. Every day more women are reporting Yaz side effects they have experienced as a result of their prescription of Yaz. Yaz uses drospireonone, a synthetically made from of progestin, as do several other contraceptive drugs. Drospireonone is effective in preventing pregnancy.

Bayer Facing Thousands of Individual Lawsuits over Contraceptive

Bayer currently faces about 7,000 Yaz lawsuits. Although the cases have been consolidated and centralized for pretrial proceedings as part of an MDL, or multidistrict litigation, each claim remains and individual lawsuit and each plaintiff must meet the burden of proof in establishing that their injuries were caused by the use of the birth control pill. If a Yaz settlement agreement is not reached in the litigation, each of the plaintiffs will have the opportunity to present their claim to a jury. Bayer agreed to stop that particular ad campaign and they agreed to conduct a new, $20 million "corrective" marketing campaign with new commercials and print advertisements that clarified that Yaz birth control pill does not treat mild acne or help keep your skin clear or cure the symptoms of PMS (premenstrual syndrome.

Yaz Blood Clots Can be Fatal

Yaz brand birth control has many benefits to women, including prevention of pregnancy and reduction of acne. However, the benefits come with an extreme risk to women taking them – the serious side effects to the popular drug include potentially fatal blood clot and pulmonary embolism.
Over a thousand Yaz lawsuits have been filed by women who are taking the medication due to the fact that Bayer Corporation, the producers of the drug, have neglected to warn the public about the serious and life-threatening side effects of Yaz birth control, defending themselves with the claim that the benefits of the product far outweigh the risks involved in taking it.
The active ingredient in Yaz is the synthetic hormone drospirenone, which suppresses ovulation but also causes an excess of potassium in the blood, also called hyperkalemia. This can lead to changes in the electrical pulses that the body sends, causing irregular heartbeat, which in turn can cause a Yaz blood clot.

Yaz linked to Gallbladder Disease

The serious and life-altering Yaz side effects have contributed to the growing number of Yaz lawsuits including: Blood clots, Cardiac Arrhythmias, Stroke, Heart attack, Gallbladder Disease, Pulmonary embolism, Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and Sudden death. The most common serious Yaz birth control side effects is Yaz gallbladder disease. For many otherwise healthy young women who take Yaz and Yasmin, a diagnosis of gallbladder disease comes as a complete shock.


Side effects of Yaz, Yasmin and other birth control pills that use the progestin drospirenone could increase the risk of Yaz gallbladder disease by as much as 20% when compared to older oral contraceptives, according to a new study by Canadian researchers. Many of these otherwise completely healthy individuals have had to undergo emergency Yaz gallbladder removal. 

Yaz Blood Clot Risk Heightens

According to two new studies recently published in the online edition of the British Medical Journal, Yaz contains a new progestin drospirenone (DSRP) and carries up to triple the risk of blood clots (known as venous thromboembolism) over traditional pills containing the progestin levonorgestrel (LNG). Bayer was warned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in the fall of 2008, that Bayer’s television advertisements were misleading and did not disclose the additional side effects of Yaz.

Bayer Reeks Benefits While Women Suffer

Thousands of women throughout the United States have filed a Yaz lawsuit or Yasmin lawsuit against Bayer, alleging that the drug maker failed to adequately research the risks associated with the medication or warn women that they may be exposed to an increased risk of serious and potentially fatal side effects when using the birth control pills. Lawsuits also allege that Bayer engaged in deceptive and misleading advertisements that were directed to consumers and the medical community. Still, the researchers described the overall risk as low, with rates for blood-clotting cases in U.S. study of 30.8 per 100,000 women years on drospirenone versus 12.5 in the control group.
Bayer said in a statement that the methodology used showed "significant flaws."

Yaz Lawsuits are Being Filed Across the Country

Some 6,000 Yaz lawsuits have been filed against Bayer HealthCare claiming health risks from its Yasmin and Yaz brand birth control pills, according to the L.A. Times. Yaz, on the market since 2006, has become the top-selling oral contraceptive in the U.S., the paper says, citing IMS Health data. As one of the “fourth generation” birth control pills, it’s supposed to have fewer side effects than earlier drugs and it was FDA-approved to treat very severe PMS, officially called premenstrual dysphonic disorder (PMDD), but not the more mild forms. Last year Bayer entered into a settlement with the FDA and changed its advertising to emphasize that fact. Earlier ads mentioned symptoms that may occur in any form of PMS, such irritability, bloating, headaches and acne.

Yaz lawsuits were filed in Ohio and Wisconsin recently that echo the sentiments of tens of thousands of Yaz users. The four women who filed suit allege that they suffered severe Yaz side effects including deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and stroke while taking Yaz or Yasmin pills. The suits allege that Bayer failed to warn of these potential complications.

In the 8-page FDA Warning Letter regarding Yaz dated October 3, 2008 two TV ads were cited as overstating the efficacy of the drug and minimizing the risks and side effects associated with using Yaz. Yaz related lawsuits allege that the warnings were inadequate in fully describing the potential side effects including heart attacks, strokes, gallbladder disease, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death. The FDA cited the reasoning behind the recall as, “Out of Specification analytical value for chemical assays of drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol was averaged with another analytical value to provide a reported result that was within specification.” In other words, Bayer deliberately skewed lab results in order to hide the fact that the amount of drospirenone was inconsistent.

Those suffering from the adverse effects of Yaz are advised to consult with an experienced Yaz lawyer as soon as possible.