Bayer Seeks to Settle Yaz and Yasmin Lawsuits

The birth control pills Yaz and Yasmin, manufactured by Bayer, have been the target of many women who have chosen to file a Yaz lawsuit. Almost 3,500 of these cases from across the country have been settled by Bayer for around $750 million.

The number of women who have filed cases against Bayer for Yaz and Yasmin spurred a consolidation of the federal litigation into a multidistrict litigation (MDL) located in the Southern District of Illinois and managed by the Honorable David R. Herndon. Judge Herndon is responsible for the largest active caseload in the United States, thereby making it the largest current pending MDL in the country.

Side effects from Yaz and Yasmin spur lawsuits

As the number of settlements increases, more women who were affected by Yaz and Yasmin are expected to consider filing a case against Bayer.

Yaz and Yasmin are birth control medications that use the fourth generation progestin drospirenone. Complications such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) have been associated with this progestin. As of now, the settlements that are being completed are related to these two side effects.

Drospirenone has been connected with the increased risk of blood clots and stroke in users of the medication.

DVT results from a blood clot deep in the veins and could lead to life-threatening problems. 50 percent of the cases filed are due to blood clots. The other 50 percent are based on the company’s failure to warn of potential issues such as heart attack, gallbladder problems, and stroke.

Click here for additional information on blood clots from Yaz.

Yaz settlements could reach $1.565 billion

As many as 3,800 filings have yet to be settled. Bayer could wind up paying as much as $815 million to settle cases that involve PE and DVT, leading to a tally of $1.565 billion. By October 2012, over 12,400 complaints alleging product liability were filed against the manufacturer with 720 cases not yet filed.

The average settlements Bayer has paid equate to about $215,000 for each case.

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