New Yaz Side Effects Lawsuit Filed in California

On February 25, 2013, a Yaz lawyer filed a lawsuit alleging that the Bayer manufactured birth control pills Yaz and Yasmin, as well as the generic form of the drug Ocella, caused side effects in the plaintiffs. The case involving 22 plaintiffs from 18 states was filed in California Superior Court and states that the plaintiffs were forced to have their gallbladders removed due to the oral contraceptives. They seek compensation for their injuries requesting punitive and actual damages and claim to have experienced pain and suffering as well as emotional distress. The counts adopted in the case include breach of express and implied warranties, fraud, negligence, failure to warn, and manufacturing defect. They request a jury trial.

Studies link Yaz and Yasmin to severe side effects

According to the filing, Yaz and Yasmin have been linked to a higher danger of Yaz side effects such as gallbladder disease, strokes, heart attacks, and blood clots. The British Medical Journal, in 2003, published research that the oral contraceptives had caused thromboembolism that led to death.

Recently, two studies indicated a substantially higher risk of strokes in people who used Yasmin and Yaz. One of the studies was published in the British Medical Journal. The August 2009 study found that those who used these birth control medications had double the risk of a health event due to clots than those who used other kinds of birth control pills.

There were more than 50 deaths reported to the FDA among those who had used Yaz and Yasmin in the years 2004 to 2008.

The FDA sends a warning letter to Bayer

The California lawsuit says that Bayer did not pay attention to this information and continued to promote the medications in an aggressive manner. They are also accused of overstating the effectiveness of the medications in their ads and that they alleged that it was a useful medication to treat acne even though that is not on the label.

The FDA sent a warning letter to Bayer on October 3, 2008 because their advertisements misled the public as to the drug’s efficacy.

Lack of studies referenced in Yaz lawsuit

Prior lawsuits against Bayer due to problems with these drugs have stated that women using Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella have sustained strokes, pulmonary embolism, and blood clots. These oral contraceptives differ from other kinds of birth control pills because they have drospirenone. Drospirenone is a fourth generation progestin and plaintiffs allege that this type of progestin doesn’t have long-term studies to prove its effectiveness and safety. It has also been connected with severe side effects like stroke, blood clotting, heart rhythm problems and even death.

This lawsuit points to all plaintiffs having sustained gallbladder issues that required removal of the organ. The plaintiffs say that the company should have been aware of the dangers of the oral contraceptives and that gallbladder disease was possible.

The plaintiffs state that they would not have taken Yaz or Yasmin if they’d known of the potential complications.