Five Women Sue Bayer in Latest Yaz Thrombosis Lawsuit

Five women hailing from Nebraska, Texas, Florida, and Indiana have joined the ranks of thousands who claim that Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals failed to warn about Yaz blood clots risk. The plaintiffs each took Yasmin or Yaz as their primary form of birth control and later suffered injuries relating to blood clots and deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

On March 27, the women filed their joint Yaz thrombosis lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois – site of the product liability multidistrict litigation (MDL 2100). The complaint charges Bayer with concealing crucial information concerning FDA warnings from consumers, knowing full well that Yasmin and Yaz were potentially dangerous medications that were linked to increased risk of blood clot injuries. All claimants are seeking compensation for their economic and non-economic damages and related medical costs.

Bayer accused of failure to warn of blood clots risk

Like other women who’ve filed a Yaz thrombosis lawsuit, the plaintiffs contend that had Bayer adequately tested the safety of Yasmin and Yaz like other oral hormonal birth control pills and disclosed their findings to the public, the claimants would have chosen another, safer form of oral contraceptive. Both Yasmin and Yaz are unique in that they contain the fourth generation progestin known as drospirenone, a hormone that is associated with health risks not indicated with other types of birth control pills. The most serious side effect of drospirenone is the propensity for blood clots, which may manifest or result in DVT, pulmonary embolism, heart attack or stroke.

In 2002, the British Medical Journal published a review in which the Dutch College of General practitioners witnessed 40 cases of venous thrombosis among patients taking Yasmin. The physicians recommended that older second generation pills be prescribed instead, due to Yaz blood clots risk. Even more alarming, the FDA received more than 50 reports of fatalities relating to Yasmin and Yaz from 2004 through 2008. The deaths were attributed to complications stemming from cardiac arrest, pulmonary embolism, cardiac arrhythmia, intracardiac thrombus, and stroke in women who were in their “childbearing years.”

Yasmin was the first pill of its kind to be formulated with this fourth generation progestin, and was launched in 2001. Bayer was granted FDA-approval for Yaz in 2006. Both pills have been the subject of mounting litigation, filed by women as young 17.

All of the plaintiffs took Yasmin/Yaz and subsequently suffered severe pain caused by DVT in the deep veins of their legs. Each has endured multiple surgeries and medical therapies to address these blood clots and remain on blood thinning medications for the foreseeable future.

Ramifications of Yaz –induced deep vein thrombosis

The formation of blood clots in the deep veins of the legs can result in two life-threatening conditions:

• If the blood clot (thrombus) partially or totally blocks blood flow in the vein, blood begins to build-up below the site. Blood vessels can be damaged, resulting in venous hypertension.
• If the thrombus breaks loose and travels through the body, it may reach the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism (PE). This potentially fatal condition can kill a person within hours.

Causes of action against Bayer

The Yaz thrombosis lawsuit plaintiffs adopt multiple counts against drug manufacturer, Bayer, and are hoping to recover fair compensation for their pain, suffering, loss of wages and medical bills.  The causes of action named in the lawsuit include strict liability – defective manufacturing, design defect, defect due to inadequate warning, failure to adequately test, negligence, breach of implied and express warranty, and negligent misrepresentation.