Progress in Lawsuits Against Makers of Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella

Earlier this month, The Legal Intelligencer reported on the progress of some Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella lawsuits that have been consolidated in one Philadelphia court. Hundreds of plaintiffs have bought claims against the manufacturers of these three oral contraceptives after experiencing health problems allegedly caused by the drugs. Litigation has been consolidated for the sake of efficiency, as hundreds more lawsuits are expected to be filed in the coming year.

In the Philadelphia litigation, defense attorneys are asking for plaintiffs to complete questionnaires providing information about their history of birth control use, to aid in the discovery process. Plaintiffs’ attorneys have been hesitant to meet this demand, arguing that asking plaintiffs to reveal their birth control history would require them to divulge too much personal sexual information, which might cause some plaintiffs to drop their claims. Thankfully for the plaintiffs, the judge appears skeptical of the defendants’ request and has indicated her commitment to protecting plaintiffs’ privacy. The judge has asked the opposing parties to meet and come to a consensus about what types of questions will be allowed on the discovery questionnaire, and which questions will be excluded in order to protect the plaintiffs’ privacy.

Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella use a “fourth generation” progestin called drospirenone and, according to an August 2009 British Medical Journal study, the pills carry a 6.3 times increased risk of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. Compared to using some other types of oral contraceptives, pills containing drospirenone carry about a four times greater risk of these health problems. Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella are also believed to be associated with gallbladder disease, stroke, and heart attack.

When a woman has been harmed by taking Yaz, Yasmin, or Ocella, personal injury lawyers are a critical key to obtaining justice. Attorneys can assist women and their families in getting the care and compensation they need in order to recover and move forward with their lives. In a products liability claim against a drug manufacturer, women who have suffered injury from taking a drug can potentially recover medical costs, lost wages, and compensation for pain and suffering and mental anguish.

Yaz Injuries Affecting Multiple Regions of the U.S.

The Memphis Daily News ran an extensive article outlining the risks of Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella and the legal steps that are being taken to compensate women who have suffered medical problems after taking these oral contraceptives. The number of plaintiffs around the United States bringing lawsuits against Bayer Healthcare and Barr Laboratories, the manufacturers of these contraceptives, has become so large that cases have been consolidated in multidistrict litigation. Memphis plaintiffs are having their actions heard in a federal court in Illinois, for example. Multidistrict litigation allows individual plaintiffs to share information so that the defendants only need to go through discovery once, as opposed to hundreds or thousands of times.

Memphis lawyers are representing numerous women who have suffered complicated medical issues as a result of taking Yaz, Yasmin, or Ocella. The most common health problems associated with these drugs appear to be blood clots and gallbladder disease. Some cases of stroke and heart attack have also arisen. Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella use a relatively new synthetic progestin called drospirenone, which is believed by some to be the source of the health risks associated with taking these drugs.

When a woman has experienced a medical problem as a result of taking Yaz, Yasmin, or Ocella, she may be entitled to recover monetary damages. For example, some women suing Bayer and Barr have had to have surgery to remove their gallbladders. Even if the surgery is straightforward, costs can be significant for many women. If there are complications or blood clots, medical costs can skyrocket, and women may suffer permanent disability.

Personal injury lawyers are a critical key to obtaining the compensation these women deserve. The article notes that, unlike after a car accident, there is no insurance company to step up and offer a settlement when a woman has been harmed by her oral contraceptive. Personal injury attorneys hope to assist women and their families in getting the care and compensation they need in order to recover and move forward with their lives. In a products liability claim against a drug manufacturer, women who have suffered injury from taking a drug can potentially recover medical costs, lost wages, and compensation for pain and suffering and mental anguish.

ABC News Report Highlights Concerns About Yaz, Yasmin, Ocella

Thirty-two year-old Evangeline Semark Lemoine was healthy until she developed deep vein thrombosis, a dangerous blood clot located in her leg, about one year ago. Lemoine says that blood clots have also been found in her lungs. She is now on a powerful blood thinner that interferes with her ability to carry on a normal lifestyle with her family, and finds even simple tasks challenging. Lemoine attributes her health problems to her use of Ocella, the generic version of Yasmin, and hopes that her lawsuit will help others. “I need to speak up and let other women know so that they might not have to go through what I went through," said Lemoine.

Lemoine is not alone in her claim against the manufacturers of Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella. Susan Galinis suffered a stroke while taking Yaz, and had to have part of her skull removed to relieve pressure caused by swelling. Galinis is also suing Bayer, manufacturer of Yaz.

As of October 15, approximately 150 lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturers of drospirenone-containing oral contraceptives. Drospirenone is a newer form of progestin. According to research recently published in the British Medical Journal, newer forms of progestin, including drospirenone, have been connected to a higher risk of blood clots than older forms of oral contraceptives.

Awareness of the Risks of Yaz Increases as More Lawsuits are Filed

Public awareness about the health risks involved in taking the oral contraceptives known as Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella has recently increased, thanks to a rising number of lawsuits filed against Bayer AG, the manufacturer of Yaz and Yasmin. (Ocella is a generic form of the drug.) An article published this week in the Washington Times reports that hundreds of women have sued Bayer and thousands more lawsuits are believed to be forthcoming.

The article highlights the story of a 41-year-old woman in Maryland who nearly died as the result of several large blood clots that developed in her lungs, which her doctors believe were a result of taking Yaz. According to the article, Yaz and its predecessor, Yasmin, use a combination of estrogen and a synthetic progestin to prevent ovulation. The progestin, drospirenone, is relatively new, and has been blamed by some researchers for being the source of the problems associated with Yaz.

The use of Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella has been linked to Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), Pulmonary Embolism (PE), stroke, blood clots, gallbladder disease and gallbladder complications, heart attack, and death. All oral contraceptives increase the risk of stroke, blood clots, and other cardiovascular problems, especially in women over the age of 35. But many of the women suing Yaz for injuries they suffered after taking the drug are young – in their twenties – and were otherwise healthy before they began taking Yaz.

Bayer’s marketing strategy for Yaz has been widely criticized. Early advertisements for Yaz downplayed the risks of the drug, targeted young women, and suggested that Yaz could be taken to treat acne or premenstrual syndrome (PMS). According to the FDA, Yaz should only be used to treat acne in women who want to take an oral contraceptive. Yaz is not approved as a treatment for PMS, which affects up to 80 percent of women. While Yaz has been approved to treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder, a very severe type of PMS which only affects about ten percent of women, even then it is only recommended for those premenstrual dysphoric disorder sufferers who wish to take an oral contraceptive. The FDA recently forced Bayer to spend $20 million to make corrective advertisements.