Drug Manufacturers Agree to Pay $56.9 Million to Users of Birth Control Pills
Bayer and two manufacturers of generic drugs have agreed to pay nearly $57 million to settle claims brought by plaintiffs in courts in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and California stemming from their use of the birth control drugs Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella. The plaintiffs in the cases have presented evidence that Yaz and Yasmin (manufactured by Bayer) and Ocella (manufactured by Barr Laboratories and Teva Pharmaceuticals) caused arterial blood clots, and that as a result patients suffered injuries such as heart attacks and strokes. Bayer had previously offered to pay $24 million to users of Yaz and Yasmin who had allegedly suffered gallbladder disease and/or the removal of their gallbladders as a result of taking the birth control pills. A certain portion of the approximately 1,200 plaintiffs who have claimed to have suffered arterial blood clot-related injuries must opt-in to the settlement agreement in order to receive a portion of the potential $56.9 million settlement fund agreed to by the defendants in the litigation, which has taken place across several courts nationwide.
The FDA has released several drug safety communications related to birth control pills containing Drospirenone (including Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella), which is a synthetic version of the female hormone progesterone. The FDA concluded in 2012 that there appeared to be a correlation between birth control pills containing drospirenone and the risk of blood clots. The FDA pointed out that the symptoms of blood clots can include persistent leg pain, severe chest pain, or sudden shortness of breath. The FDA also indicated that use of the drugs Beyaz and Safyral may also lead to increased risk of blood clots and recommended that doctors take caution in prescribing those drugs as well as Yaz and Yasmin.
Despite these warnings from the FDA and the thousands of lawsuits brought against the company, Bayer continues to argue that it does not believe its birth control drugs do in fact cause increased risk of arterial blood clot injuries. As a consumer of any health care products, including birth control pills, it is important that you become aware of potential side effects, including those denied by the manufacturers of the products themselves.
If you or a loved one have experienced any harmful side effect from the use of any drugs or medical devices, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible to determine whether you may be entitled to bring an action against the manufacturer to recover for any injuries you may have suffered. For a free consultation on your claim from anywhere in the Wayne, New Jersey area, including Hawthorne, Patterson, Fairfield, Caldwell, Clifton, and throughout Hudson County, contact the personal injury attorneys at Massood Law Group, LLC. Call today for an evaluation of your possible lawsuit at 1-844-4MB-HURT or 973-696-1900.
