Illinois personal injury lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm have previously warned of the dangers associated with Yaz, Yasmin, and other newer birth control pills containing the synthetic hormone drospirenone. Earlier this year, two European studies found that the risk of developing blood clots for women using these birth control pills is up to two or three times higher compared to users of other hormonal contraceptives. Now the Food and Drug Administration is publicly expressing its concern over the dangerous and potentially deadly side effects these birth control pills may cause.
As USA Today is reporting, the FDA posted a warning to its agency website on September 26, 2011, about the potential increased risk of blood clots for women using drospirenone-containing birth control pills. These pills include Yaz, Yasmin, and a number of generic versions such as Ocella. The new drug warning is the result of a preliminary agency-funded study involving 800,000 women in the U.S. Researchers found that women taking the contraceptives were nearly two times more likely to experience dangerous side effects than women taking other, older birth control pills. This supports earlier findings by the European Medicines Agency, which also found an elevated risk.
The FDA plans to meet with two advisory panels in December to sort through more than half dozen different studies containing information about the blood-clot risk. At that time, the study’s complete findings will be releases, and an outside panel of medical experts will analyze the safety of these contraceptives. There are a wide range of actions that the FDA might take, including a stronger drug label warning, or a requirement that the contraceptives be pulled from the shelves.
For a free legal consultation, call 800-934-6555
Although the FDA study is new, health warnings about complications associated with birth control pills such as Yaz and Yasmin are not. In 2001, Yazmin became the first birth control pill to contain the drospirenone hormone. Just one year after its approval, the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen issued a warning about the dangers of the drug. Since that time, our experienced drug litigation attorneys were notified of many otherwise healthy women who suddenly died or suffered serious side effects while taking Yaz, Yasmin, and similar medications.
Blood clots linked to these dangerous contraceptives typically form in the vein of the lower leg or thigh, and can break loose and move to other areas of the body such as the lungs. These dangerous blood clots, known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), can cause chronic leg pain, chest pain, or shortness of breath.
Click to contact our lawyers today
Women who suffered serious injuries, or families of loved ones who died after being prescribed Yaz or Yasmin, have legal rights and may be entitled to significant compensation with the help of a drug litigation lawyer. Manufacturer Bayer Healthcare is already facing thousands of lawsuits over serious health complications and deaths blamed on the drugs, and even more lawsuits are expected as doctors continue to prescribe these potentially deadly medications.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now
Our personal injury attorneys believe that women need to be fully informed of all health risks when taking a birth control pill. Several studies have already been released commenting on the dangers of Yaz, Yasmin, and their generic counterparts, and the latest FDA warning confirms the likelihood of serious side effects. We will continue to follow the FDA’s review of these contraceptives, and we continue to accept new cases involving Yaz and Yasmin-related injuries or deaths.
Call or text 800-934-6555 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
