YAZ/Yasmin Increases Risk of Blood Clots by 75 Percent, Says FDA Study

Washington, DCAccording to results from a new study released by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), newer generation birth control pills such as YAZ/Yasmin increase the risk of blood clots more than older generation pills.

According to the FDA study, which reviewed the medical records of more than 800,000 women taking various types of birth control between 2001 and 2007, women taking YAZ had, on average, a 75 percent greater chance of experiencing a blood clot than women taking older generation oral contraceptives.

YAz/Yasmin contains estrogen with a new generation synthetic hormone called drospirenone, which is associated with increased blood potassium levels and blood clots, in addition to a lengthy list of side effects and contraindications. In 2010, YAZ and Yasmin were the second best selling "franchise" for Bayer, the maker of the oral contraceptive, with $1.6 billion in sales globally.

The FDA will hold a meeting with scientific advisors in December and make a final conclusion about safety of UYAZ/Yasmin.