Yaz Gallbladder Disease Highest Risk Among Birth Controls

In addition to the potential risk of serious and potentially life-threatening Yaz blood clots, many otherwise healthy young women who have used the birth control pill Yaz or Yasmin have experienced painful gallbladder problems that could ultimately require surgery for gallbladder removal. The FDA has warned the manufacturers of Yaz (sometimes spelled as Yas) and Yasmin (sometimes spelled as Yazmin) at least four times for improper marketing and manufacturing techniques, starting as far back as July 2003, and continuing through 2009.
Yasmin and Yaz are birth control pills manufactured by Bayer Healthcare. The generic form of these drugs, Ocella, is a brand marketed and distributed by Teva Pharmaceuticals. Yasmin was approved by the FDA in 2001, Yaz in 2006, and Ocella in 2008. The Yaz group of drugs contains a compound created by Bayer called drospirenone, which is a “fourth generation” progestin. Drospirenone is believed to elevate the levels of potassium in the blood stream. Elevated levels of potassium in the blood can lead to a condition known as hyperkalemia, which can cause heart rhythm disturbances. Before the introduction of Yasmin, no other birth control pill was marketed in the United States with drospirenone, which is unlike other progestins available. It is a diuretic, which creates unique risks with Yaz and Yasmin and could lead to serious gall bladder problems like gallbladder disease.
In 2009, Bayer was forced to run a $20 million corrective advertising campaign to address problems with Yaz advertisements that stressed the potential benefits in treating acne and symptoms of PMS, while minimizing the potential risk of blood clots. The ads were found to be in violation of a 2007 agreement Bayer made with the FDA after earlier deceptive advertising campaigns. For the next several years, Bayer is now required to submit any future Yaz advertisements in the United States to the FDA for approval before they are aired. Bayer currently faces about 7,500 Yaz lawsuits and Yasmin lawsuits, which allege that Bayer has failed to adequately warn about the increased risk of health problems associated with the birth control pills.