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.