NuvaRing Attorney: "We Allege Contraceptive Makers Did Not Warn About Risks"

Dallas, TXWomen who suffered NuvaRing side effects may be eligible to join a NuvaRing lawsuit, alleging the makers of the contraceptive did not adequately warn about the NuvaRing dangers. Such dangers reportedly include an increased risk of stroke and venous thromboembolism. Dr. Shezad Malik, founder of the Dr. Shezad Malik law firm, says lawsuits are still in the early stages, so it is not too late for women—or the families of women who died after using the birth control to file their own lawsuits.

"NuvaRing is in multidistrict litigation in the eastern district of Missouri," Malik says. "These cases are federal lawsuits against Merck and Company and its subsidiaries. It's similar to Yasmin, Yaz and Ocella, although the volume of cases is a lot less. There were approximately 1,000 cases filed as of December 2011. Of those 1,000 cases, 900 are in Missouri and 100 were filed in New Jersey in a state multidistrict litigation. We are currently in the process of setting up a bellwether trial for NuvaRing."

Allegations in the lawsuits involve side effects reportedly linked to the use of NuvaRing, including a reported increased risk of stroke and venous thromboembolism.

"Women have been having the same sort of injuries with NuvaRing as with Yasmin, Yaz and Ocella," Malik says. "These include death, venous thromboembolism and strokes. NuvaRing has a third generation progestin [Yaz has a fourth generation progestin] and these newer generation progestins cause increased risk of blood clots. Somehow, there's too much estrogen and progestin released, causing increased clotting."

NuvaRing was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2001 and originally marketed in the US in 2002. It is a vaginal ring that acts as birth control by releasing a form of estrogen and etonogestrel.

"Plaintiffs contend that the original makers failed to adequately design and manufacture NuvaRing and then downplayed the risks of venous thromboembolism, and failing to warn about the risks," Malik says. "Even though these NuvaRing lawsuits were started before Yasmin, Yaz and Ocella, they have not been settled. It is not too late for women to join a lawsuit if they have suffered NuvaRing side effects. They should consider speaking with an attorney."

At issue is what the maker of NuvaRing knew about the risks of the contraceptive and whether they adequately disclosed those risks to patients. If it can be proven that the company knew about the increased risks but did not warn patients, then those patients harmed by use of NuvaRing may receive compensatory and punitive damages in a lawsuit against Merck.

"Women who were injured in 2006, 2007 or 2008 may not have known that the birth control was the offending culprit," Malik says. "We feel confident that women who are more than two years out of the date of injury may still have a viable claim because of the lack of notice or because the women did not know that birth control caused the problem. They may have thought their health issues were caused by other factors. The manufacturers of the NuvaRing said there was no more risk associated with it than can be found in older generation contraceptives, which is not true. There is almost double to triple the risk. We allege they knew about the risks but didn't warn patients."