Archive for the ‘Yasmin/YAZ’ Category

The New York Times reported on September 25, 2009 in an article titled “Health Concerns Over Popular Contraceptives” focused on side effects of Yaz and Yasmin, which are popular oral birth control pills used by over 1.6 million women.  The side effects include life threatening strokes, heart attacks, DVTs, PEs.  In addition, Yaz lawsuits have been filed alleging these injuries, and others, including gall bladder disease, from Yaz and Yasmin.

You can read the full text of the New York Times Yaz and Yasmin story by going here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/26/health/26contracept.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=yasmin&st=cse.  Various comments posted about the New York Times site about the article, can be read here.

Bernstein Liebhard LLP is currently investigating and filing Yaz and Yasmin lawsuits against Bayer related to side effects from Yaz and Yasmin, including strokes, heart attacks, DVT’s, PEs, gall bladder disease and other injuries.  We are one of the few firms in the country who has filed cases and we represent women from across the country.  Contact us today at info@consumerinjurylawyers.com or (877) 779-1414 for a free and confiential Yaz/Yasmin case evaluation by one of our Yasmin lawyers.

On October 7, 2009, Bernstein Liebhard LLP filed a lawsuit in federal court in New York against Bayer, the manufacturer of Yasmin and YAZ birth control pills, on behalf of a California couple, Scott and Heather Crawford,Crawford v. Bayer et. al. 7:09-cv-8550 (S.D.N.Y.) The complaint lists eleven causes of action including claims for strict product liability, negligence, breach of warranty, negligent misrepresentation and/or fraud, violation of New York’s General Business Law and loss of consortium.

The Crawfords’ lawsuit alleges that, as a result of Bayer’s misleading claims regarding the effectiveness and safety of YAZ, Ms. Crawford was prescribed and began using YAZ in 2007. The lawsuit further alleges that Ms. Crawford suffered a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs) later that same year as a direct result of her use of YAZ. Click here for more information.

Yesterday the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation in Richmond, Virginia heard arguments for and against establishing a multidistrict litigation (MDL) for all federal Yaz and Yasmin litigation. A ruling on the matter is expected within a few weeks.

If the panel of federal judges opts to establish an MDL, all Yaz and Yasmin lawsuits pending in various federal courts throughout the United States will be consolidated before one judge for coordinated pre-trial proceedings. This will benefit the plaintiffs in the Yaz and Yasmin lawsuits by allowing them to share the costs of pre-trial discovery and avoid duplicative discovery. For example, in an MDL, depositions of certain people can be taken just once, every plaintiff gets to use them, and the cost is split among everyone.

While an MDL and a class action lawsuit are sometimes confused with one another, they are not the same thing. A class action is one case with many plaintiffs in it, whereas an MDL consists of many individual cases brought together for a short time.

As litigants await a ruling on the Yaz and Yasmin MDL petition, lawsuits continue to mount against Bayer Pharmaseuticals, the maker of the popular birth control pills. The lawsuits generally allege that Yaz and Yasmin cause life-threatening side effects and that Bayer failed to adequately warn consumers about those side effects. Serious Yaz side effects and Yasmin side effects may include heart attacks, strokes, gallbladder disease, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and pulmonary embolism. Additionally, Yaz and Yasmin may both put patients at risk for a condition known as hyperkalemia. This condition is marked by increased potassium levels in the blood and often has no symptoms at all. If left untreated, it can lead to cardiac arrest and kidney failure.

If you or a loved one experienced serious side effects after taking Yaz or Yasmin, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. For more information about a Yaz lawsuit or a Yasmin lawsuit, contact one of Bernstein Liebhard’s Yasmin lawyers or Yaz lawyers for a confidential and free case evaluation.

On August 14, 2009, the British Medical Journal Online published two studies that contain significant findings for women who use the oral contraceptives Yaz or Yasmin. One of the studies was supervised by a leading authority on oral contraceptives, Dr. F. R. Rosendaal, of Leiden University in Leiden, Netherlands, and involved 1524 women. The other study involved all of the women in Denmark, 10.4 million women years.

Yazmin and Yaz Related Studies

The two studies include: The venous thombotic risk of oral contraceptives, effects of oestrogen dose and progestogen type: results of the MEGA case-control study, van Hylckama Vlieg, Helmerhorst, Vandenbroucke, Doggen & Rosendaal, BMJ 2009;339:b2921; and Hormonal contraception and risk of venous thromboembolism: national follow-up study, Lidegaard, Lokkegaard, Svendsen, & Agger (all of Copenhagen, Denmark), BMJ 2009;339:b2890.

Findings of the British Medical Journal Online Yasmin Studies

First, the studies concluded that women taking combination oral contraceptives (OC) containing drosperinone, such as Yaz and Yasmin, are six to seven times as likely to suffer a thromboembolism (such as Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) or Pulmonary Embolism (PE)). This risk is equal to other third generation birth control pills.

Second, the studies found that Yaz / Yasmin did not provide any increased benefit for acne or weight loss, which are benefits Bayer previously touted for the drug. The study also found that there was no proof of improved effectiveness of treatment for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) or similar premenstrual symptoms.

Third, the study also showed that women are at the highest risk of developing having a thrombotic event in the first three months of taking the OC.

A large number of women participated in the study, which was conducted by well-credentialed clinical investigators and, therefore, Bayer really must reexamine its warnings on Yaz and Yasmin to better educate and warn women about the risks of using these products, which includes the risk of DVT, PE and gull bladder injury, among other Yasmin side effects.

Contact a Yaz Lawyer or Yasmin Attorney Today

Bernstein Liebhard LLP is vigorously investigating and pursuing claims on behalf of injured women nationwide. Contact one of our Yasmin lawyers today for a free Yasmin lawsuit or Yaz lawsuit today.