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.