Yasmin Lawsuits on the Rise Nationwide
According to the company's 2009 annual report, Bayer, a leading pharmaceutical company has been named in several class action lawsuits over the popular birth control drug, Yasmin. Yasmin, which is also marketed as Yaz or Ocella, the generic version, has been linked to potentially dangerous side effects prompting five class action lawsuits - three in the United States and two in Canada.
The oral contraceptive have been linked to potentially harmful side effects including heart attacks, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolisms, gallbladder disease, strokes and even sudden death. Many have accused Bayer of marketing the drug knowing full well of the drug's dangerous capabilities. These side effects are exceptionally rare in young women, especially those with no history of pre-existing conditions.
This comes after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration admonished the pharmaceutical company for faulty advertising campaigns. Bayer spent $20 million in a corrective advertising campaign updating the commercials to include warnings about the potentially dangerous side effects. Some law firms have predicted close to 25,000 lawsuits may be filed due to Bayer's false advertisements.
Unlike other birth control pills, the active ingredient in Yasmin is a synthetic progesterone hormone called dropspirenone that raises potassium levels in the body. Elevated levels of potassium have been linked to blood clots and gallstones, which in turn may result in gallbladder disease. Women with pre-existing conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes or obesity are at a greater risk for complications from Yasmin.
Furthermore, the side effects from dropspirenone are more serious compared to other birth control pills that do not contain the progesterone hormone. Other oral contraceptives have not reported similar risks or side effects from this ingredient. The medication has been responsible for at least 50 deaths.
Bayer marketed Yasmin as the only pill capable of controlling anger, irritability, bloating, depression, muscle aches and headaches associated with premenstrual dysphoric disorder. The lawsuits allege that Bayer was aware of the serious side effects, but hid them from the FDA during the approval process, thus hiding them from the unsuspecting public.
In 2009, Yaz and Yasmin accounted for more than $1.7 billion in profit for Bayer, and is still ranked as the leading oral contraceptive in North America, despite the risks reported in the media.
As the pill's popularity continues to rise, more lawsuits can be expected. In East St. Louis, the hometown of Bayer, more than 25,000 Yaz lawsuits were filed in additional to the Yasmin class action suits that have been filed in the U.S. and Canada. Victims have requested a Yasmin recall, but more research may be needed before the FDA deems it necessary to protect young women.
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