Dangerous Drug and Recall News

The birth control market has been enjoying a pattern of growth for many years and for many reasons, and it’s now at the point where every product that penetrates this market with a high degree of success can lead to billions of dollars in revenue.  Bayer Healthcare has enjoyed this sort of success with two products that are known as Yaz and Yasmin.  They are essentially the same product, but Yaz contains a smaller amount of estrogen, which is one of the active ingredients in this medication line.  Unfortunately, Yaz and Yasmin have been the subject of a growing number of inquiries received by defective drugs lawyers around the United States.

The reason for this uptick in inquiries is because of a growing number of reports that the use of Yaz and Yasmin has led to the development of serious side effects in the women who have used them.  These side effects are serious in nature, and the two most serious problems are the development of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolisms.  Each of these conditions can be fatal if they are not detected early and treated properly.

DVT is a condition whereby a blood clot forms deep inside the tissue of the body, normally in the leg.  These clots tend to grow and eventually break off into the circulatory system, and many of them settle in the lungs.  When blood clots form in the lungs, they are known as pulmonary embolisms, and like DVT, they can be fatal.  The problem with these conditions is that no one expects them, which gives these issues time to develop and become more dangerous than they need to be.

The federal government has gotten involved at this point, and the FDA has not only required Bayer to affix a ‘Black Box’ warning to all labels of Yaz and Yasmin, but has also warned Bayer about potentially misleading advertisements that were being run that involved off-label uses of the medication.  Since then, Bayer has pulled the ads and agreed to spend $20 million in an effort to correct the previous misinformation.

Additionally, the FDA has cited Bayer for its manufacturing conditions, and competing studies are now being used to bolster each side’s position.  It should be noted, however, that the study Bayer is using was funded by the company itself.  In the meantime, the overall product line generated an estimated $1.8 billion in revenue during the past year.  All of this has led to at least 74 lawsuits being served on Bayer, and that number is expected to continue to rise.

If you or someone you love has been harmed as a result of using Yaz or Yasmin, you need to contact a defective drugs lawyer as soon as possible to schedule a free initial consultation.  You can start by contacting the Phillips National Injury Group today to get this process started.