Missouri Yasmin and Yaz Attorneys
Yaz and Yasmin
Yaz (Yasmin) is a birth control pills with dangerous side effects including stroke, heart attack and even death. In 2009, several lawsuits were filed against Bayer by women who suffered unexpected and severe side effects from the medication.
Highly advertised, Yaz is one of the best-selling oral contraception pills in the U.S., with 2007 sales of $616 million. Yaz is a combination birth control pill that contains estrogen and progestin. Yaz received FDA approval as an oral contraceptive in March 2006, and as a treatment for the emotional and physical symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) in October 2006. Further, in January 2007, Yaz was approved to treat moderate acne in women who desire an oral contraceptive for birth control.
But the dangers outweigh the benefits with Yaz. Yaz contains a synthetic type of progestin called drospirenone. According to the FDA, drospirenone can lead to hyperkalemia, a condition caused by excessive amounts of potassium in the blood, in high risk patients. This condition may result in potentially serious heart problems and kidney damage.
In October 2008, the FDA cited two Yaz commercials for deceptive claims. In a warning letter, the FDA accused Bayer of overstating the benefits of Yaz and for using marketing methods that were found to be distracting to viewers. While the narrarator spoke of the potential side effects, Bayer used music and fast images to distract the viewer from the negative reports. In response, Bayer agreed to stop running the ads. The FDA required Bayer to run new ads to correct the deceptive information.
Even through the new ads, Bayer has not told the public about the significant risks involved with taking this medication. In addition to the blood clot danger, Yaz may also increase potassium, which can also be quite dangerous for cardiac function. In order for Yaz users to avoid high potassium levels, blood tests should be drawn every few months, a fact which most patients are unaware of.
If you have, or are suffering from serious Yaz or Yasmin side effects, such as hyperkalemia, kidney damage, or deep vein thrombosis, you should consult an experienced Missouri Yasmin attorney about your case. The experienced pharmaceutical liability and kidney damage attorneys at Page Law take no fees unless you win.
