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Yasmin/Yaz Birth Control Side Effects FAQ

What are Yasmin and Yaz?

Yasmin and Yaz, made and marketed by Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, are combination oral contraceptives (COC) to prevent pregnancy. They contain both ethinyl estradiol, an estrogen component and drospirenone, a progestin. Drospirenone is a fourth generation progestin that is not found in any other birth control pills sold in the US.

Yasmin was introduced to the market in 2001; Yaz in 2006. To date, over 1,000 Yaz or Yasmin lawsuits have been filed by women who experienced harmful Yaz or Yasmin side effects and reportedly 50 women had died due to Yasmin or Yaz side effects as of 2009.

Is there a difference between Yaz and Yasmin birth control pills?

Yasmin was originally developed by Berlex Laboratories (a US affiliate of Schering AG, Germany) that was first approved for use in 2001. In 2006, Bayer acquired Berlex and marketed a more recent version of Yasmin, called Yaz.

What is Ocella?

Ocella is the generic equivalent of Yasmin and is manufactured by Barr Laboratories. Ocella also contains ethinyl estradiol and the new "fourth generation" progestin drospirenone (DRSP).

What are the Yasmin and Yaz side effects?

The more serious adverse health effects linked to Yaz and Yasmin include heart attacks, cardiac arrhythmias, blood clots, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), strokes, gallbladder disease, hepatic adenomas or benign liver tumors, and sudden death.

I am currently taking Yasmin. Should I stop?

You should ask your doctor if the risk factors associated with Yaz, Yasmin, or Ocella outweigh the benefits. Some doctors aren't aware of the adverse health effects associated with these fourth generation birth control pills.

Have there been many reports of these Yasmin or Yaz injuries?

Yes. The FDA's adverse event database for Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella reports many serious adverse events associated with these drugs, including more than 59 deaths where the women were taking Yaz, Yasmin, or Ocella. However, there are likely many more women who suffered side effects and didn't report them.

Is gallbladder injury linked to Yasmin and Yaz rare?

No. The number of gall bladder injuries associated with Yasmin and Yaz is alarming. The rates of gall bladder disease are more than 10 times greater than that normally seen in this population.

LawyersandSettlements has interviewed several Yaz victims who required surgery to have their gallbladder removed.

As well, Bayer may face shareholder suits due to its failure to disclose the magnitude of the gall bladder problem.

How are Yaz or Yasmin birth control pills causing such injuries?

In complaints filed against Bayer, it is alleged that drospirenone, when combined with estrogen, has adverse effects that are more dangerous than earlier generations of oral contraceptives.

The addition of the Yaz / Yasmin / Ocella DRSP to your system throws off the balance of hemostasis and can generates a life-threatening blood clot.

Regarding gallbladder injury: The gallbladder aids in the digestive process and concentrates bile produced in the liver. Because Yasmin/Yaz is a diuretic, this oral contraceptive can cause serious gall bladder problems and gallbladder disease that could potentially require surgery for gallbladder removal.

Can you give me an example of a woman who has been injured by Yasmin or Yaz?

In the past few years, LawyersandSettlements has interviewed a number of women who have suffered an injury by Yasmin or Yaz. Here is just one example: Kayse suffered a pulmonary embolism and a DVT in her leg.

Who is legally responsible for injuries suffered by women taking Yaz and Yasmin?

Bayer is responsible. Manufacturers of prescription drugs have a duty to patients to produce safe products, and they must legally warn patients and their doctors of any adverse health effects.

Lawsuits filed against Bayer allege that the drug company sold Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella without adequate warnings about the increased risk of serious injuries and failed to warn doctors and patients that Yaz and Yasmin are more dangerous than other oral birth control pills on the market.

As well, Bayer has been charged with improperly advertising and over-promoting the use of Yasmin/YAZ/Ocella in circumstances other than those in which the drug has been approved and over-stated its benefits. The FDA has repeatedly reprimanded Bayer/Berlex for its questionable advertising campaigns, particularly marketing their birth control pills in a way that minimizes the serious side effects, thereby misleading millions of women and their prescribing physicians about the safety of this birth control pill.

Have many women filed Yaz lawsuits against Bayer?

In its 2009 annual report, Bayer says as of February 2010, about 1,100 lawsuits alleging personal injury and death have been filed in the United States. Many women are filing Yaz personal injury lawsuits. In addition, two Yaz Canadian class actions have been served upon Bayer. Additional lawsuits are anticipated.

What is currently happening with Yasmin and Yaz litigation?

The cases are pending in Philadelphia, federal multidistrict litigation (MDL) in Illinois’ Southern District, New Jersey and California. Each jurisdiction has particular advantages:

1. Philadelphia State Court, Philadelphia County, PA.  These cases are the furthest along—discovery is well underway, the first deposition has been taken and over 4 million pages of documents have been produced.
2. Federal court in East St. Louis, Illinois.  This is the "MDL" where most cases are filed.  The litigation is almost as advanced as the PA cases.  Jurisdiction is based on diversity of citizenship. Officials say 25,000 lawsuits may be involved.
3. New Jersey State Court and California State Court.  These cases are in the process of getting underway.

A few years ago I developed a blood clot while taking Yasmin. Is it too late to file a claim against Bayer?

Each state has a statute of limitations for filing lawsuits and some states have a deadline of one year from the date of the accident. There might also be other deadlines imposed by state law that may require action sooner than one year. It is advisable that you contact a personal injury attorney sooner than later.

How long will a Yaz lawsuit take?

It's hard to say. First, an attorney will need to thoroughly investigate the facts of your case. In some instances, a case will settle shortly after it is filed, or perhaps even before. In other cases, a final resolution can take many years.

How much compensation can I expect to receive from a Yaz lawsuit?

In most jurisdictions, if you suffered a personal injury and the defendant is found liable, the defendant is responsible for paying for your medical care, both past and expected, your past and future lost earnings, and an amount to compensate you for pain and suffering. Your spouse also might be entitled to compensation.

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Last updated on Mar-30-11