Many women who want to avoid pregnancy seek forms of contraception that will be conducive to their lifestyle. When traditional methods aren't working, women turn to birth-control pills. While there are many birth control pills available in today's market, women need to be properly informed of the risks associated with taking these drugs. Yaz, also known as Yasmin, contains a new type of hormone, known as drospirenone which raises potassium levels. Studies have linked high levels of potassium to life-threatening health problems such as heart attack, heart arrhythmias, deep vein thrombosis, blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks. Women who are obese or diabetic are at the greatest risk for these increased health problems.

Yaz (drospirenone) is a birth control pill that completely prevents ovulation. It changes the cervical lining, which makes it difficult for sperm to reach the uterus, and therefore, reach a fertilized egg. In cases where Yaz is not used for birth control, women take it to treat their symptoms of PMDD, such as anxiety, fatigue, cramps, and mood changes. Serious side effects of Yaz include breast lumps, depression, chest pains, sweating, migraines, and sudden numbness. Less serious side effects such as breast tenderness, vaginal itching, weight gain, and changes in menstrual cycles are all common when taking Yaz. Yaz contains a new type of hormone, known as drospirenone which raises potassium levels. Dangerously high levels of potassium can cause numerous health issues such as heart attack, heart arrhythmias, deep vein thrombosis, blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks.

In 2008, a series of television commercials entitled "Not Gonna Take It" and "Balloons" prompted the FDA to write a warning letter to Bayer for overstating the approved uses of Yaz while failing to address the risks of the drug. The commercials stated "we all know that birth control pills are 99% effective and can give you shorter, lighter periods. But did you know there's a pill that could do more?" Bayer was required to create new commercials which clarified the drug's risk and approved uses.

In 2009, Bayer was cited once again for sending low-quality batches of drosperinone to doctors and pharmacies. Bayer justified the shipments by explaining that they monitor the "average" quality of all shipments, not the quality of each individual batch.

Women throughout the country have suffered numerous adverse effects from taking Yaz. Many lawsuits have been filed against Bayer, stating that they overstated the benefits of Yaz.

If you or a loved one suffered a serious side effect following the use of Yaz, please contact us for a confidential review of your case.

Yaz Recalled Due to Poor Manufacturing Conditions

Many women rely on oral contraceptives as an effective way to prevent pregnancy. For the most part, these contraceptives prove worthy, but at times, dangerous and sometimes lethal side-effects occur, tainting the lives of many.

In November of 2009, approximately 33,000 boxes of the popular pill, Yaz (drospirenone) were recalled due to poor manufacturing at Bayer's plant in Germany. Many women have had problems after taking Yaz, such as stroke, blood clots, DVT and pulmonary embolism.

Yaz is an oral contraceptive used to protect against pregnancy and also to combat acne. It is taken on the first day of a woman's menstrual cycle and once a day, thereafter. Yaz is also used to treat the symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), such as anxiety, depression, irritability, trouble concentrating, lack of energy, sleep or appetite changes, breast tenderness, joint or muscle pain, headache, and weight gain. As with most birth control pills, Yaz prevents ovulation and causes changes in the cervical and uterine lining, making it harder for sperm to reach the uterus.

In September, the FDA issued a warning letter to Bayer over issues with Yaz, and its generic counterpart, Ocella. The letter stated that there was sub-par manufacturing practices and poor quality control at Bayer's plant. Bayer was accused of using out-of-specification test results, mixing them with good test results and then reporting the average. According to the FDA, authorities also found a great deal of deviation from good manufacturing practices on active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) used to make the birth control pills. In addition, the drug maker was said to have been hiding results that showed that some batches of the drug were outside the company's specifications.

The recall affects 32,856 boxes of Yaz and 122,208 boxes of Ocella. Each box contains three packages of one month's supply of the birth control pills. The lot numbers for the recalled Ocella tablets are 84080A and 84081A. The lot number for the recalled Yaz tablets are 91605A.

The birth control pills Yaz and Yasmin have been linked to serious side effects, including heart attack, stroke, pulmonary embolus, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), kidney disease, liver disease, gallbladder disease, organ failure and death.

The FDA Issued Repeated Warnings to the Manufacturer of Yaz and Yasmin for Overstating the Benefits and Minimizing the Risks Associated with the Products

The FDA accused Bayer of misleading consumers by overstating the benefits of Yaz and Yasmin and failing to properly warn users about the extremely serious side effects of Yaz in comparison to other birth control pills on the market. As a result, the FDA issued two warning letters to Bayer in 2003 and 2008. Furthermore, as part of an agreement with the FDA, Bayer was required to run an ad campaign to correct previous misleading statements.

What is the problem?
Yaz and Yasmin are currently the most popular oral contraceptives on the market. Yaz is a combination oral contraceptive containing estrogen (ethinyl estradiol) and progestin (drospirenone), distributed by Bayer Corp, that was marketed to decrease symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Yaz and Yasmin contain drospirenone, a new type of progestin hormone, which may increase the potassium levels of some users to dangerously high levels. High levels of potassium can increase the risk of serious health problems including heart arrhythmias, blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks. Yaz and Yasmin users who are especially at risk are those who are obese, diabetic, or have high blood pressure.

What are some of the serious reported side-effects?

• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Cardiac arrhythmias
• Pulmonary embolus
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• Venous Thromboembolism (VTE)
• Kidney disease
• Liver problems and tumors
• Organ failure
• Gallbladder disease
• Sudden death

Yaz and Yasmin Lawsuits Filed
Numerous lawsuits have been filed nationwide by persons injured by Yasmin or Yaz. The lawsuits allege that that the manufacturer, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, overstated the benefits of Yaz and Yasmin and failed to provide adequate warnings regarding the serious health risks associated with the products.

If you or a loved one suffered a serious side effect following the use Yaz or Yasmin, please contact us for a free and confidential case review.