Yasmin Side Effects Lawsuit Filed in Canada

Edmonton, CanadaA Yasmin birth control lawsuit alleging serious Yasmin side effects has been filed in Canada. The lawsuit also includes users of Yaz birth control pills, who allege they were seriously affected by side effects from the medication. Side effects linked to the birth control pills include an increased risk of Yasmin blood clot.

According to The Gateway (11/29/10), the Canadian lawsuit, filed against Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, alleges that young women suffered serious side effects after using Yasmin or Yaz birth control. Those serious side effects include strokes, pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in the lung) and gall bladder problems. Some women have allegedly required surgery to remove their gall bladder following use of Yasmin or Yaz.

The Gateway article notes that there are approximately 4,000 individual lawsuits filed against Bayer in the US. More lawsuits are being filed in Canada.

Meanwhile, in the US, lawsuits have been filed by the grieving families of young women who died after using Yasmin or Yaz birth control. One lawsuit was filed by the mother of a university freshman student who died in September 2010. The lawsuit alleges Yaz caused the blood clots that resulted in the young woman's death.

Lawyers involved in Yasmin and Yaz litigation say the problem is that the birth control pills contain drosperinone, a fourth-generation progestin. They argue that this progestin carries a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, pulmonary embolism, gallbladder disease and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) than other birth control pills. Furthermore, they say, there is not enough evidence that Yasmin or Yaz are more effective than other, less risky, methods of birth control.

Women who are taking Yaz or Yasmin should be on the lookout for gallbladder problems or blood clots. Symptoms of gallbladder problems include pain or discomfort in the upper right side of the abdomen, diarrhea, abdominal bloating, jaundice and nausea. Symptoms of blood clots include severe headaches, swelling or pain in the arms or legs, coughing blood and problems with vision.

In 2008, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accused Bayer of running misleading advertisements concerning Yaz. According to a warning letter sent from the FDA to Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, television advertisements for Yaz, "broaden the drug's indication, overstate the efficacy of YAZ, and minimize serious risks associated with the use of the drug." The FDA letter notes that the advertisements "encourage use of YAZ in circumstances other than those in which the drug has been approved, over-promise the benefits and minimize the risks associated with YAZ."

Specifically, the FDA letter notes that two Yaz advertisements suggest the birth control medication can treat Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) and acne, despite not being approved for such uses.

Bayer then ran a $20 million ad campaign correcting claims made in the previous Yaz advertisements.