Yasmin Gallbladder Disease Has Florida Women Suing For Damages

Alethia M. Lopez and Jessica A. Endick of Tampa, Florida added their lawsuits to the growing case against Bayer’s birthcontrol pills, Yaz and Yasmin. On October 3rd, both women filed suits seeking compensatory damages of $75,000 to pay for gallbladder removal surgery as well as punitive damages. In addition to Yaz gallbladder disease, in August of 2009, The British Medical Journal published the results of two independent studies conducted on women in Denmark and The Netherlands. Both of these studies reached the conclusion that women taking the progestin drospirenone found in Yaz and Yasmin were at a higher risk for venous Yaz blood clots.

Over 50 deaths have been reported to the FDA in women taking oral contraceptives containing drosprienone such as Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella from heart problems, heart attacks, blood clots in the heart and lungs, and Yaz Stroke.  In addition, the Agency has received hundreds of reports of non-fatal side effects from these conditions.
Because both Yaz and Yasmin are made with drospirenone, they are different from many other oral contraceptives. Drospirenone can elevate potassium levels, which can lead to hyperkalemia in certain patients. Hyperkalemia can result in potentially serious heart and health problems.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently sought assistance in its review of Bayer’s Yaz and Yasmin birth control pill line of medications. The advisory panel is scheduled to convene this December to determine if Yaz, Yasmin, and other similar medications increase blood clot risks, versus other birth control pills.

Bayersaid its analysis of current data indicates that the clotting risks seen in its line of Yaz and Yasmin oral contraceptives are “comparable” to risks seen in other oral birth control medications. Despite its assertions that Yaz and Yasmin are as safe as other similar drugs on the market, Bayer is looking at thousands of lawsuits alleging just the opposite and that also accuse the drug maker of having run ad campaigns that never disclosed those risks.Pending the panel’s review, the FDA has warned women taking drospirenone birth control pills, such as Yaz and Yasmin, to be aware of the medications’ possible risks.