The Project on Government Oversight (POGO), a non-partisan, non-profit government advocacy group, found that of the 26 advisers on the FDA panel, three had research or financial ties to Bayer, makers of the top selling oral contraceptives Yaz and Yasmin. All four of those panel members voted in favor of keeping drospirenone-containing pills on the market.

Drospirenone is a hormone that works like a diuretic. It is found in Yaz and Yasmin, as well as various generic brands. The drugs came under FDA review after recent studies that suggested the pills were more likely to cause blood clots than birth control pills made with other hormones.

This week, POGO sent a letter to the FDA asking for the pills to be reviewed again, this time by a new, better vetted, advisory panel. “The American public must be able to trust that the FDA and its advisory committees are making decisions based on science, not industry influence,” POGO Executive Director Danielle Brian said.

FDA advisory panels review studies and make recommendations to the federal agency. While the FDA generally follows the advice of its exert panels, it is not required to do so.

Source: MedPageToday

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › FDA panel members had ties to Yaz maker

Drospirenone is a hormone that works like a diuretic. It is used in combination with another hormone, ethinyl estradiol, in Bayer HealthCare’s Yaz and Yasmin. Bayer recently released Beyaz and Safyral, two more birth control pills identical to Yaz and Yasmin, respectively, but with added folate. There are also generic versions of Yaz and Yasmin available, such as Ocella.

Diuretics can cause significant problems with the gallbladder that in some cases can lead to gallbladder removal. Some studies suggest that drospirenone can also increase potassium levels in the blood and lead to hyperkalemia, a condition which causes heart rhythm disturbances that can cause blood clots and lead to sudden cardiac death, heart attacks, or strokes.

Bayer has long fought allegations that its popular birth control pills can put women’s lives at risk, but with more than 2,000 lawsuits filed against the company from women who say they were harmed by the pills, Bayer’s defense looks weak.

The new study was funded by the Fonds de la recherché en sante du Quebec, a government-financed research agency, and is in the current issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Yaz, Yasmin puts women at greater risk for gallbladder damage

Generic drugs must still be approved by the FDA but the process is different than with brand-name medications. Emoquette was approved through the agency’s abbreviated new drug application process, which requires drug makers prove their drug is comparable to an approved medication in dosage, route of administration, quality, performance and intended use.

Drugs are not allowed to be marketed and sold in the United States without FDA approval. This process requires proof from clinical trials the medication is both safe and effective. But the FDA’s seal doesn’t guarantee there will be no problems.

In the early 2000s, the FDA approved Bayer’s Yaz birth control pills. The pills combined the hormones ethinyl estradiol and drospirenone, which also works as a diuretic. Bayer launched a massive marketing campaign that sent sales of Yaz skyrocketing.

It wasn’t long, however, before reports of blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes in young women taking Yaz began to surface. While oral contraceptives carry a risk for blood clots, the problem seemed to more often affect women taking Yaz. As lawsuits against Bayer began to mount, the pharmaceutical company responded by seeking – and obtaining – FDA approval for three more birth control pills with the same hormone combination as Yaz – Yasmin, Beyaz and Safyral.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › FDA approves generic birth control pill

Two years later her doctor made a connection. Lana had been taking Yaz or Yasmin birth control pills for seven years, since 2001. The pills have been linked to gallbladder damage, yet Lana says she was never warned of those risks by the pills’ manufacturer, Bayer Corp. Lana is now one of more than 2,000 women who have filed lawsuits against Bayer. The plaintiffs claim that Bayer was fully aware of the risks associated with use of the pills, yet the company did nothing to warn users.

Yaz and Yasmin are known as fourth generation birth control pills. They contain the hormones ethinyl estradiol and drospirenone. Drospirenone also works as a diuretic, which can cause an increase in potassium levels in the blood and lead to hyperkalemia, which can cause heart rhythm abnormalities that can cause life threatening blood clots.

Lana is no longer taking the pills, but she still experiences problems and was diagnosed with post-cholecystectomy syndrome. The condition causes persistent pain I the upper right abdomen, nausea, vomiting, gas, bloating and diarrhea. Symptoms of the syndrome occur in about 5 to 40 percent of patients who undergo cholecystectomy.

Lana’s lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. The case has been assigned to Galveston County Court in Texas.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Woman blames gallbladder problems on Yaz, Yasmin

Yaz is considered a fourth-generation birth control pill and contains a combination of hormones known as ethinyl estradiol and drospirenone. Drospirenone also works as a diuretic.

Since Bayer Healthcare introduced Yaz to the market in the early 2000s, the company has launched three other birth control bills with similar formulations. The pills have become a favorite among young American and Canadian women, thanks to a massive marketing campaign claiming the pills help fight the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and clear up acne.

The ads also effectively downplayed the serious side effects associated with the drug, which include blood clots, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, heart attack, stroke and gallbladder damage. Soon after the commercials hit the airwaves, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered Bayer to rerun ads clearly stating the serious side effects that the drugs could cause.

Some experts question the use of drospirenone in the pills, claiming the diuretic can cause a condition that leads to irregular heart rhythms. Those arrhythmias can cause serious health problems, including blood clots, heart attacks and strokes.

The revision ads from Bayer came too late for thousands of women, including Amie and Lauren. Both women have joined the more than 2,000 other women who claim they were injured by Yaz and filed a lawsuit against Bayer.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Deceptive ads lead to two more lawsuits against makers of Yaz

“SAFYRAL and Beyaz are part of Bayer’s growing women’s health franchise, and these new products reinforce our commitment to providing women with various contraceptive options,” said Leslie North, Vice President of Marketing, Women’s HealthCare, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals.

Bayer also offers the blockbuster birth control pills Yaz and Yasmin, both of which contain the diuretic drospirenone but no folic acid. The pills have come under fire in recent years because of mounting reports of serious side effects associated with the pills.

While all oral contraceptives put women at a slightly increased risk of developing blood clots, some studies show that the combination hormone with diuretic puts women at even greater risk. The pills also increase a woman’s risk of suffering from gallbladder problems that in many cases have resulted in surgery to remove the gallbladder.

Bayer faces thousands of lawsuits from women who have suffered serious health consequences – such as heart attacks, strokes, deep vein thrombosis, and gallbladder damage – while on Yaz and Yasmin. The company says that Beyaz and SAFYRAL have the same safety profile as Yaz and Yasmin.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Bayer launches second birth control pill with folic acid

“My IQ plummeted to 77, borderline mentally retarded,” she told KOCO News. She gradually improved but even now she suffers from chronic pain, has no short-term memory, and cannot drive. She is one of thousands of women across the country who are suing Bayer, the makers of the best-selling birth control pill Yaz, for not properly warning her that taking the pill could cause her serious problems and even death.

If you saw the commercials for Yaz when the pill was first approved for sale in the United States, you would have thought it was designed to solve a host of problems from moodiness and irritability associated with premenstrual syndrome to unsightly acne. The ads worked. In no time Yaz became the best selling oral contraceptive in the United States.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was one of the first to see through the façade. The pill was approved for the treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder, also known as PMDD, a far more severe condition than PMS. The ads also used vivid imagery to distract viewers while the drug’s side effects were read. The FDA ordered Bayer to rerun a series of ads, this time clearly stating what the drugs were approved for and clarifying associated risks.

Despite the ads, Bayer contends that its pills are just as safe as other birth control pills. Yet, Yaz is different from most in that it contains a diuretic, which can cause an imbalance in the body that can lead to blood clots, strokes, heart attacks and even gallbladder problems. As the lawsuits continue to mount against Bayer, it is likely the end is nowhere in sight. Some legal experts expect as many as 20,000 to 30,000 complaints from women who have been harmed by Yaz.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Lawsuits continue to mount against makers of Yaz

For the next three years, Katie took Yaz, but by the time she was ready to enter college, something changed. She felt constantly sick and spent much of her time in bed. “I didn’t go out. I didn’t see friends. I just laid in bed for the most part, and I was sick all the time,” she told KOKO News. “Eventually, I was vomiting bile.”

Doctors were baffled why such a healthy girl would turn so sick. They soon pinpointed the problem. Katie’s gallbladder was damaged. “I found out that my gallbladder function was at about 64 percent, and it should be between 98 and 100 percent,” she said. She was taken off Yaz and underwent surgery to remove her gallbladder.

Katie is one of thousands of women who are suing Bayer, makers of Yaz. They claim that the drug company was aware its top-selling pill was dangerous but failed to adequately warn women or their doctors of the risks. Bayer contends that Yaz carries the same risks as other oral contraceptives.

Just as the ads claimed, Yaz is different than other pills. It contains a diuretic that doctors say can raise potassium levels in the blood. This can cause the gallbladder to malfunction as well as cause blood clots that increase the risk of other serious problems such as heart attack and stroke.

As for those ads that sold women, like Katie, on the benefits of Yaz? Not long after they started running, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) penalized Bayer, arguing that the ads for Yaz overstated the drug’s benefits and downplayed the risks. The company was ordered to run a series of ads clarifying its approved uses and clearly stating the risks, which include blood clots, heart attacks, strokes and gallbladder damage.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Yaz likely cause of girl’s damaged gallbladder

But folic acid also offered other benefits, some experts claimed. Since folic acid lowers blood levels of the protein homocystine, which is linked to heart and blood vessel disease and other medical problems, some scientists suggested that the B vitamin could also lower the risk of heart disease, stroke or cancer.

However,  a new study published in the Oct. 11 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine shows that even taken at high doses, folic acid supplements do not improve one’s risk of getting heart disease, a stroke or cancer.

To further complicate matters for Beyaz, the pill contains the same active ingredients as its sister product, Yaz – a hormone and a diuretic. Thus, Beyaz, like Yaz, is indicated not only for pregnancy prevention but also for the treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and moderate acne. It also carries the same health risks, according to clinical studies conducted by Bayer.

Bayer contends that Yaz is no more harmful to women than other birth control pills, which carry a risk of life threatening blood clots. But more than 2,000 lawsuits by women who were seriously injured by Yaz beg to differ.

B vitamin-fortified or not, is Beyaz really a safe choice for women?

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › New birth control pill contains folic acid, but is the B vitamin ‘all that’?

Yasmin and Yaz generate nearly $2 billion each year for Bayer, making the oral contraceptives the largest source of income for the drug company. The drugs contain a special formulation of hormones plus drospirenone, a diuretic, and were heavily marketed following FDA approval for not only preventing pregnancies but also relieving the severe emotional and physical symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and treating moderate acne.

As sales for the birth control pills exploded in the United States, reports began surfacing of serious side effects associated with the drugs, including heart attacks, strokes, blood clots and even gallbladder problems. Lawsuits followed, alleging the drug company was aware the pills put women at greater risk of life threatening health problems but failed to adequately warn consumers. Bayer claims its pills are no more dangerous than other birth control pills. More than 2,000 lawsuits have been filed against Yaz and Yasmin.

Earlier this month, the FDA approved Watson’s oral contraceptive Zarah, a generic version of Yasmin. Bayer also launched a variation of Yaz, called Beyaz, from which the company expects to generate an annual income of about $680 million.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Bayer continues to fight generic competition of its birth control pills

Bayer faces more than 3,000 lawsuits claiming the company’s blockbuster birth control pills caused serious side effects, including strokes, heart attacks, gallbladder problems and even death.

In August, Bayer filed a protective injunction to keep plaintiffs from looking into the company’s marketing strategies for Natazia, a new birth control pill by Bayer that combines the same diuretic as in Yaz and Yasmin, drospirenone, with a different hormone, ethinyl estradiol. Plaintiffs’ attorneys fired back with a motion to include the redaction rules and remove the protective order for Natazia. Herndon changed the redaction rule, finding that the information about other drugs could lead to discovery of admissible evidence.

“From the exhibits counsel demonstrated in open court, it was clear that the redaction complained of made the production virtually useless in too many instances,” Herndon wrote. A status conference is planned for Oct. 12.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Ruling prevents Bayer from editing documents in Yaz lawsuits

Watson Pharmaceuticals

Like Yasmin, Zarah is a combination of the diuretic drospirenone and the hormone ethinyl estradiol. While all birth control pills carry risks of blood clots and other serious injuries, some studies suggest that Yasmin and its sister contraceptive, Bayer’s Yaz, carry a greater risk than other pills. To date, more than 2,000 lawsuits have been filed against Bayer from women who claim they were harmed but not adequately warned by the drug company that by taking the pills they would be at greater risk of life threatening blood clots, strokes, heart attacks and even gallbladder problems.

The lawsuits don’t seem to sway drug makers from moving forward with generic versions of Yaz and Yasmin. Watson, too, is facing a lawsuit from Bayer, which claims  Zarah infringes on Bayer’s patent for Yasmin. The case is currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Despite the lawsuit, Watson has begun shipping Zarah for distribution.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Watson receives FDA approval for Zarah, generic version of Yasmin

The women’s claims are backed up by a recent study published in the British Medical Journal that found women on Yaz and Yasmin had double the risk of blood clots and strokes compared to other brands of birth control pills. Yaz and Yasmin are the only oral contraceptives that contain a diuretic known as drospirenone. The study attributed the increased risk of blood clots to the diuretic.

“It appears as though there is a higher risk with Yasmin compared to the others,” Dr. Ravi Patel told KGET 17 News. “But it doesn’t mean the others don’t have a risk. The others may have a four-fold risk, this may have a six-fold risk compared to a normal individual of getting blood clots if they are not taking birth control or hormonal replacements of any kind.”

KGET 17 News contacted Bayer for comment but the company did not return the call. Bayer has said previously that Yaz and Yasmin carry the same risk of blood clots and strokes as other brands of birth control pills.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › More women join lawsuit against Yaz, Yasmin makers

Dawn Varrechio

Like many women, Dawn was taking Yaz birth control pills, the most popular oral contraceptive in America. What she didn’t realize is that by taking Yaz she was putting herself at greater risk for life-threatening blood clots. Last year, two studies published in the British Medical Journal found women on Yaz to be at greater risk of developing blood clots than on other forms of birth control. Bayer HealthCare, makers of Yaz, sponsored two previous studies that discount those claims, arguing that Yaz doesn’t increase blood clot risk any more than other brands of birth control pills.

Yaz, also known by the brand name Yasmin and the generic Ocella, is the only birth control pill that contains drospirenone, a diuretic, and ethinyl estradiol. The pills were touted not only for pregnancy prevention but also for the treatment of severe acne and premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD. Yaz soared in popularity, becoming a blockbuster money maker for Bayer.

But as Bayer began collecting its profits, reports of serious injuries and deaths in women who took the drug began pouring in. Bayer now faces more than a thousand lawsuits from women who say Yaz caused them to suffer from health problems such as heart attacks, strokes, pulmonary embolisms, blood clots, deep vein thrombosis, and gallbladder disease.

Survivors can only hope their problems don’t return. “It’s scary,” said Dawn, who says she now worries about the long-term effects Yaz will have on her. “It’s really scary.”

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Woman worries about long-term effects of Yaz

Like Natazia, Yaz and Yasmin were considered a new type of birth control pill. Yaz was approved by the FDA in 2006; Yasmin was approved in 2001. Both pills combine ethinyl estradiol and drospirenone, a diuretic not found in any other birth control product. The pills are marketed for the added benefit of treating severe acne and premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD. Both Yaz and Yasmin soared to the top spot on Bayer’s pharmaceutical sales list, bringing it more than $600 million in 2008 alone. It seemed almost too good to be true.

Then came the reports of serious injuries in women who took Yaz and Yasmin. The diuretic was believed to raise the potassium in women’s blood to dangerous levels, causing blood clots to form. Serious adverse event reports began pouring in, including heart attack, cardiac arrhythmias, stroke, pulmonary embolism, kidney failure, seizures, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), gallbladder disease, hepatic adenomas and even sudden death. The company now faces hundreds of lawsuits from women who say they were not adequately warned by Bayer of the serious health risks with using Yaz or Yasmin.

Prior to approval, two studies were conducted on the effectiveness of Natazia with a sample of 1,867 women. The most common side effects reported were irregular bleeding, headaches, nausea and vomiting.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Yaz, Yasmin makers get approval for new birth control pill

Yaz, and Bayer’s equivalent Yasmin, as well as the generic Ocella, are considered fourth-generation birth control pills. They contain a new type of synthetic progestin, drospirenone, that acts as a diuretic. The pills are promoted to not only prevent pregnancies but to also treat severe acne and premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD.

As of November, the Food and Drug Administration had received 993 reports of pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lungs), 487 reports of deep vein thrombosis (blood clots in the deep veins), and 229 reports of other blood clots from birth control pills containing drospirenone.

Bayer stands by the safety of its blockbuster birth control pill, saying the pills carry the same health risk as any other type of oral contraceptive. However, two separate studies in the British Medical Journal claimed women were at as much as 6.3 times higher risk of developing blood clots when taking Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella. Recently, Bayer updated the labels of Yaz and Yasmin to include a risk of developing life-threatening blood clots.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Yaz, Yasmin can be dangerous to your health

Bayer HealthCare

Yaz and Yasmin, as well as the generic Ocella, contain drospirenone, a diuretic that the plaintiffs claim elevated potassium in their bloodstream, which put them at greater risk for serious and sometimes fatal complications from blood clots, such as heart attack, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis and stroke. Diuretics can also cause significant problems with the gallbladder and may lead to gallbladder removal.

The lawsuits allege Bayer’s birth control pills put users at greater risk for serious adverse events; however, the company maintains that a woman’s risk of developing blood clots while taking Yaz or Yasmin is similar to other oral contraceptives.

Yaz and Yasmin were Bayer’s top-selling pharmaceutical last year, ringing in sales of $1.64 billion.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Bayer adds new information about blood clot risk to Yaz, Yasmin labels

Despina Papparis

The Papparises are among 800 Canadians taking part in a $15 million class-action lawsuit against Bayer Healthcare, the manufacturer of the popular Yaz and Yasmin birth control pills claiming Bayer did not adequately warn women that taking the pills would put them at greater risk of serious health problems. According to the lawsuit, seven Canadian women and more than 50 American women have died while taking Yaz, Yasmin, or its generic Ocella.

Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella have been touted for benefits beyond just birth control. The pill has been marketed as an effective treatment for moderate acne as well as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a condition of severe emotional and physical premenstrual symptoms. The pills are formulated differently from other birth control pills because they contain drospirenone, a diuretic that can increase the potassium level in blood. This increase in potassium can cause heart rhythm disturbances that can cause blood clots as well as problems with the gallbladder.

Source: Calgary Herald

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › 800 Canadians taking part in lawsuit against Yasmin, Yaz maker

Bayer Schering Pharma

“Yasmin’s positive benefit/risk profile remains unchanged. Our wealth of post-marketing safety data includes more than 42 million women with years of drospirenone use, as well as two epidemiological studies involving more than 120,000 oral contraceptive users. We are convinced that Yasmin is a good choice for women seeking convenient and reliable contraception if they use the product as directed. Bayer will continue to provide information which will support health care providers and their patients in taking informed decisions about appropriate treatment choices,” said Kemal Malik, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Bayer Schering Pharma, in a press release issued by the drug company.

The news is hardly reassuring for the hundreds of women who have been injured by Bayer’s Yasmin who have filed lawsuits in both the United States and Canada. They contend that flashy advertisements from the company downplayed the serious side effects of the drug, and that its formulation with the added diuretic made women more susceptible to suffering gallbladder problems, blood clots and other serious ailments. After strict orders and a stiff penalty by the Food and Drug Administration, Bayer has since bankrolled another advertising campaign aimed at clarifying its approved usages and explaining the serious side effects it may cause.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Yasmin birth control pill to receive label changes

Monica Dakin

The 23-year-old Canadian was prescribed the popular oral contraceptive Yaz last May to treat her ovarian cysts. She believed the low-dose hormone carried fewer side effects than other birth control pills. But soon after starting the medication, she was doubled over with abdominal pain. Dakin was hospitalized six times in the first six months before surgeons finally removed her gallbladder in an emergency procedure.

Yaz, also known by the brand name as Yasmin and the generic version Ocella, was touted by its maker Bayer Healthcare for treating premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and acne. This new type of contraceptive contains an added ingredient, a diuretic known as drospirenone. Dakin contends the diuretic caused the significant problems with her gallbladder and that she was never warned by Bayer that taking the pill could make her sick.

Dakin is one of hundreds of Canadian women suing Bayer Healthcare claiming they suffered severe adverse effects because of the popular birth control pill. The list of injuries includes everything from gallbladder problems to blood clots and even deaths. The lawsuits claim Yaz is more dangerous than other oral contraceptives and that Bayer knew this but failed to adequately warn consumers.

Dakin told Canadian news site HERE that the medical problems caused by Yaz have “ruined a year of my life.” Due to graduate from college in just a few months, she says she will have to sit out the ceremony because her illness set her too far behind.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Canadian woman blames Yaz for year-long illness

Yaz, also known by the brand name Yasmin and the generic brand Ocella, is Bayer’s top-selling oral contraceptive and one of the most popular choices among women and doctors for birth control. Last year, the company raked in more than a billion dollars from the sale of Yaz. The pill is different from other birth control pills because it contains a diuretic, drospirenone, that can raise the potassium in blood to dangerous levels and cause to blood clots that can lead to sudden cardiac death, pulmonary embolism or strokes.

The lawsuits allege that Bayer didn’t do enough to warn women about the serious health risks to women who take Yaz. Even the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cracked down on the drug company, saying advertisements for the birth control pill were overstating its benefits and understating the risks involved. Yaz commercials touted added benefits such as treatment for symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and acne. Since the FDA crackdown, Yaz was forced to run a series of ads clarifying the use of Yaz and clearly stating the dangers of taking the drug.

Victims say it’s too little, too late.

Bayer’s 2009 annual report does not specify how many women have died from the drug, but the FDA puts the count as high as 59.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Bayer facing more than 1,100 lawsuits from women injured by Yaz

Yaz, also known by the brand name Yasmin and the generic brand Ocella, is a different type of oral contraceptive that combines ethinyl estradiol with the diuretic drospirenone. Some health professionals say that the addition of drospirenone in birth control raised the potassium level in users’ blood. This increase in potassium can lead to hyperkalemia and cause heart rhythm disturbances that can cause blood clots that can cause sudden cardiac death or pulmonary embolism or strokes. At least 50 women and their family members have filed suit against the Bayer claiming the drug manufacturer knew of the potential risks but did not properly warn women.

Bayer has argued that it sufficiently warned women that Yaz, like all birth control pills, carries a risk of life-threatening side effects.

Last year, Bayer, after getting its hand slapped by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), shelled out $20 million to air advertisements to clarify the drug’s use. The FDA argued the company’s previous ads misled consumers by broadening the drug’s indication. The commercials promoted Yaz as a treatment for PMS, a condition for which it was not indicated, and acne, a condition in which Yaz has a limited indication. The FDA also said that the drug’s risk information was not stated clearly and was clouded with distracting visuals, background music and other “competing modalities.”

Meanwhile, Yaz remains on the market and continues to rake in money for Bayer. Yaz scored $9 billion in the first nine months of 2009, a sizable increase over the $600 million it made in 2008.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Bayer pockets billions from dangerous birth control pill Yaz

The Tennessee Tech student had been taking the drug for about six months when she suddenly passed out in the shower. Her roommate called 911, and when Leah briefly regained consciousness, her roommate got her mother, Traci, on the phone. “Leah told me that she was scared, and that she was tingling all over,” Traci tells WREG-TV. “I told her it was going to be OK, that me and daddy was coming.”

But they arrived too late. Leah died less than an hour after she collapsed. Doctors say what killed her was a blood clot in her lung, also known as a pulmonary embolism. “How does this happen to a healthy 20-year-old lady?” Traci asks. The answer may be in the birth control pill she was taking.

The diuretic drospirenone that is in Yaz can cause an increase in potassium levels in the blood, which can lead to hyperkalemia, a condition that causes heart rhythm disturbances that can cause blood clots that can trigger cardiac death or pulmonary embolism or strokes. Diuretics also can cause significant problems with the gallbladder, leading to gallbladder removal.

The Mayfields have joined at least 50 other women injured by Yaz and filed a lawsuit against Bayer. The lawsuit alleges that the drug maker ignored the increased risks of Yaz and kept it on the market to enjoy mounting profits. Now Traci wants to warn others of the dangers of Yaz.

“(Leah) didn’t have to die,” Traci says. “She didn’t have to die because of a pill.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Mother warns others of the dangers of Yaz

What Adrienne didn’t know was that while the combination birth control pill had benefits, it also increased users’ risk of serious side effects such as heart attack, cardiac arrhythmias, stroke, pulmonary embolism, blood clots, kidney failure, seizures, deep vein thrombosis, gallbladder disease, hepaic adenomas and sudden death. Adrienne believes Ocella caused her to suffer from a stroke and other serious side effects. She claims it also left her at an increased risk of developing additional side effects such as blood clots in the deep veins and lungs.

On December 28, 2009, Adrienne and her husband Kenneth, filed a lawsuit against Bayer HealthCare, the manufacturer of Yaz, and other manufacturers and distributors, seeking $75,000 from each defendant, as well as punitive damages and compensation for medical care, pain, suffering, and mental anguish.

Adrienne’s lawsuit is one of hundreds from women who say they have suffered serious side effects from Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that between 2004 and 2008, more than 50 deaths have been attributed to the drugs.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Woman claims Yaz/Yasmin/Ocella caused her stroke