Yaz, Yasmin Russian Roulette?
February 8th, 2010. By LucyC
No matter how frequently or strongly Bayer Healthcare Corp declares their oral contraceptives Yaz and Yasmin to be safe and effective—as long as they’re used according to the product labeling—it’s not preventing women from filing lawsuits against the pharmaceutical giant.
I read a news report recently that stated some 50 women in Indianapolis have filed Yaz/Yasmin lawsuits alleging their use of the contraceptive resulted in their experiencing blood clots and pulmonary embolisms in their lungs and legs, and apparently several of the women required surgery to remove their gallbladders. How did that happen, you ask? Because Yas/Yasmin—among its lengthy list of ’side effects’ which include pancreatitis, liver and kidney failure, rapid heartbeat and arrhythmias—can also cause gall bladder disease.
What I want to know is how you avoid these serious adverse events—let’s call a spade a spade—if you take the pill according to the product labeling? How does that work? Your doctor prescribes the contraceptive presumably in the knowledge that you are a suitable candidate to take it—meaning you don’t have one of the many conditions that would preclude you from taking it including a history of heart, liver or kidney disease, and you’re not a pack-a-day gal, but you still end up in the hospital having suffered a stroke or embolism. How could you have avoided that?
Also, and this may be a fine point, if the contraceptive is known to be associated with serious adverse events—just what exactly can you do to avoid developing them?
It sounds like a game of Russian Roulette to me. Maybe you’ll develop a blood clot—maybe you won’t—no way to tell really—but take a chance anyway. Worst case scenario, there are treatments, if you don’t die—right?
In a recent newspaper report, Kimberly A. Johnson developed numerous blood clots in both her lungs, which has resulted in her taking blood thinners, which are no picnic, for the last two years. She is a 37-old mother of two. The only sign she had that something was wrong, apparently, was a severe shortness of breath—which was worse at night. She told the Indystar.com in an interview that she felt like she was having a heart attack when she lay down at night. Kimberly had only been taking the contraceptive for three months. “I thought I was going to die,” she said in her interview. I’m betting if she knew how to avoid that situation she would have.
To add insult to injury Yas/Yasmin were marketed as providing health benefits. (If it sounds like snake oil…) In 2008, the FDA actually ordered Bayer to run ads correcting an earlier advertising campaign that claimed (a bit too far) that Yas/Yasmin provided health benefits. That cost them $20 million. Although the spate of Yas/Yasmin lawsuits will likely cost Bayer a good deal more, it will not be as much as it’s already cost women like Kimberly.
If your Breast’s on Reglan, is your Baby on Reglan?
February 8th, 2010. By AbiK
There are women who breastfeed, and there are women who don’t. I’m not going into pro’s and con’s here (or a debate on breastfeeding 4 year olds, or public displays of breasts)—but suffice to say, if you’ve been pregnant, you have undoubtedly found yourself signed up for two things associated with the letter “L”: Lamaze and La Leche League training—otherwise known as breastfeeding 101. You may have your own opinions about both practices surrounding the joy of childbirth, but no matter. You will be highly “encouraged” to attend these classes.
Encouragement to be a “good mother” is always good; but unfortunately if you decline attendance—or worse—attend but voice some reservations or lack of desire to follow the script, you feel yourself being labelled…identified…duly noted…as the dissenter in class. Other moms-to-be will cast disparaging glances in your direction like you JUST. DON’T. GET IT. And you begin to internalize the negative vibes and start to question yourself.
God bless Cindy Crawford and her at-home, no meds deliveries. I am not Cindy. And I knew that no amount of huff-huff-puff-puff timed breathing while tightly gripping a pillow was going to delude me into thinking I could breathe through the pain. Nurse!! Where’s that &#@%ing epidural I ordered up!??
Breastfeeding was a different story. So many studies done to back up its healthiness. The benefits of bonding. The primal back-to-nature, this-is-what-it’s-all-about thing. Reduced rates of viral infection. Smart babies. On and on. Throw some Baby Einstein in and we’ll be off the WISC IQ scoring charts! Ok, sign me up! Pump for $200? Sure—I’ll take one!
Then…uh-oh…baby’s here and…NA-DA.
All the planning gone to hell. Why? A little thing called “complications”. (Not epidural-related for you Lamaze lovers out there). And so begins the guilt. The what-ifs. The what-now’s? Is my baby already underweight??
La Leche will offer you a figurative shoulder to cry on, along with some resources and guidance. And some well-meaning websites will share with you your “options” to get that milk flowing. One option: Reglan. Reglan’s called a “prescription galactagogue”. Funny thing about Reglan though (and
Open Letter to Guinea Pig Victims of the World
February 8th, 2010. By Hunter West
Are you tired of living alone, even though you are classed as a “social” pig? And do you feel for your goldfish friend, which is suffering mistreatment by having four open sides in his / her / their aquarium, when it is obvious that they need shelter and such shelter is being denied?
If so, Bunky, you need a lawyer. And even though you can’t understand a word I’m saying, it is my duty to tell you that you need to move to Switzerland. Go. Go now. Pack up your pellets and skedaddle to Zurich.
Switzerland is on your side.
In fact, the Swiss will hold a public referendum in March as to whether domesticated creatures have the right to be represented by lawyers in court.
Not that the government there wants that. Even the Swiss authorities think that’s going a bit far, even though the government altered its constitution last year to protect the dignity of plant life and crafted a law in 2009 establishing rights for domesticated creatures such as canaries and goldfish.
And Guinea pigs. Yes, you.
If the referendum is approved, every canton in Switzerland will be obliged to appoint legal counsel to represent pets and farm animals, in an effort to defend them from abuse.
It all started in 2007 when the canton of Zurich appointed lawyer Antoine Goetschel (don’t worry about the spelling—you’re a Guinea pig after all, we’ll help you fill in the forms when the time comes) as an animal advocate as an experiment. That move motivated animal welfare groups to mount a campaign for a referendum to install similar officials across Switzerland.
Activists gathered the required number of signatures of support needed as a pre-requisite to a referendum.
The government has its doubts. So too, do farmers associations and pet breeders, who fear more strict regulations. The ‘No’ side has established a group known as ‘No to the Useless Animal Lawyers’ Initiative.’
It should be noted that in the Middle Ages, locusts and frogs were summoned to court to answer for their crimes of infestation.
Not that you, Guinea pig, will ever have to physically appear in court as a witness if the crusty old guy next door complains to your owner that you’re living a solitary existence.
However, take heart in the knowledge that in Switzerland-while you go about your day sleeping, shedding and trying to figure out what is a food pellet and what is a poop-a lawyer could be representing your interests in court.
For more, log onto LawyersandGuineapigs.com
Week Adjourned: 2.5.10
February 5th, 2010. By LucyC
Top Class Actions
Toyota: “Moving Forward” Alright. This week is really the week of the Toyota class action. I have to be honest—I’ve lost count as to the number of lawsuits that have been filed, but I did see a report today that put the number at 29, and counting. That may just be some kind of world record.
At the heart of the issue is the now infamous sticking gas pedals. (It puts a whole new spin on the expression ‘give it some gas’—and certainly creates a little irony for Toyota’s tagline: moving forward.)
Of course, it’s not really funny, given that hundreds if not thousands or possibly millions of people will be at the very least inconvenienced by the recalls, now totalling some eight million cars—but it will also affect people’s livelihoods, and at worst there are reports of injuries.
In the highly unlikely event you’ve not heard about this issue, you can find more out all the recalls here.
Overdoing the Overdraft thing. Again. Yet another overdraft fees lawsuit was filed this week, this time the accused party is Fifth Third Bank. The lead plaintiffs in this lawsuit allege that they were illegally charged overdraft fees for purchases made on the ATM and debit cards, even when they had enough funds in their accounts to pay
“This Statement has not been Evaluated by the FDA”
February 5th, 2010. By Kristine B
And until something changes, it ain’t gonna be.
This week, a study was released suggesting that the combination of herbal remedies and heart medications can be dangerous for patients. According to the study, patients who use popular herbal remedies—including ginko biloba, St. John’s wort and Echinacea—along with heart medications are at an increased risk of serious heart rhythm problems, higher blood pressure and bleeding. Serious stuff.
If you’ve ever wondered how the herbal supplement industry is regulated, read on as Pleading Ignorance dives into the regulation of dietary supplements.
What is a Dietary Supplement?
Good question. The phrase “dietary supplement” gets tossed around a lot. It’s a vitamin. It’s a weight loss miracle. It’s a muscle-builder. Or 
the secret to an improved sex life. “Dietary Supplement” means a lot of things. But the FDA, in accordance with the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994, defines “dietary supplement” as a product taken by the mouth that contains dietary ingredients that are intended to supplement the diet. Sounds like a definition that basically says a lot of nothing–except that the supplement needs to be taken orally. Ok, so what’s a dietary ingredient? According to the FDA site, a dietary ingredient is a:
- vitamin
- mineral
- herb or other botanical
- amino acid
- dietary substance for use by man to supplement the diet by increasing the total dietary intake (e.g., enzymes or tissues from organs or glands)
- concentrate, metabolite, constituent or extract
Makes sense, but that date—1994—is important…
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