Yasmin and Yaz Studies Show Higher Risk of Blood Clots
Yasmin and Yaz are birth control pills that a growing number of studies have shown have a higher risk for the development of dangerous blood clots over other types of oral birth control. Despite this, the drugs’ manufacturer, Bayer, has continued to aggressively market these pills as “safer” than other forms of birth control without disclosing this significant risk factor.
Women who weren’t fully informed about the pills’ risks and who later developed blood clots have the right to hold the manufacturer responsible. Although a lawsuit cannot ease the pain or loss of a loved one, it can help compensate for losses in income, quality of life and suffering.
The blood clots, known as venous thromboembolisms (VTE) usually begin in the legs and can migrate to the lungs, where they are life-threatening.
If you or a loved one developed serious medical problems after taking Yasmin or Yaz, one of Janet, Jenner & Suggs experienced pharmaceutical attorneys can advise you. All consultations are free of charge.
Consumer Alert
Experts advise that women who have been on Yaz, Yasmin or similar drugs should not discontinue use without talking to their health care provider because they may not need to come off the pill at all. However, newcomers to the pill might consider older options. Women with other additional risk factors for blood clots definitely should not be on these drugs.
Risk factors for VTE include:
- Smoking
- Being overweight
- A family history of blood clots
Blood clots in the legs can lead to heart attacks, strokes, liver damage, depression, hyperkalemia (too much potassium in the blood that can disrupt heart rhythms, slow the flow of blood and create clotting) and other serious medical problems.
Symptoms of Dangerous Blood Clots
VTE is considered a “silent disease” because it frequently has no symptoms. If symptoms occur they usually appear in just one leg and may include:
- Pain
- Tenderness
- Warmth and swelling
- Skin discoloration that is pale, blue, or a reddish-purple
Symptoms that a clot may have traveled to the lung include:
- Shortness of breath
- Rapid pulse
- Sweating
- Chest pain
- Sudden collapse.
Bayer Told to End Misleading Marketing
The FDA has warned Bayer repeatedly to halt misleading ads about Yaz and Yasmin. The warnings include:
- 2003 FDA Letter to Bayer about Yasmin’s “Goodbye Kiss” ad. The FDA told Bayer subsidiary Berlex Laboratories that its ad was misleading because it “makes implied clinical superiority claims to other combination oral contraceptives and minimizes the important risk information that distinguishes Yasmin from other combination oral contraceptives.” The FDA also said the ad violated the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
- 2008 FDA Letter to Bayer about Yaz’s “Not Gonna Take It” and “Balloons” ads. The FDA stated the ads were “misleading because they broaden the drug’s indication, overstate the efficacy of the drug, and minimize serious risks associated with the use of the drug. Thus, the TV Ads misbrand the drug in violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.”
- 2009 FDA Letter to Bayer about Yaz ads. The FDA notified Bayer again that its Yaz advertisements are “incomplete and misleading, suggesting that YAZ is useful in a broader range of conditions or patients than has been demonstrated by substantial evidence or substantial clinical experience.”
The FDA also warned Bayer that its claims that all patients with moderate acne are candidates for Yaz is simply not true. It said, “…Yaz’s indication is limited to the treatment of moderate acne vulgaris in women at least 14 years of age who have achieved menarche (their first menstrual cycle), and it should be used for the treatment of acne only if the patient desires an oral contraceptive for birth control.”
FDA Still Investigating Yasmin and Yaz
Yasmin and Yaz differ from other low-dose birth control pills because they contain a progestin hormone called drospirenone, which is a synthetic version of progesterone. The drugs have been touted as having fewer side effects, such as bloating. The two pills are similar, differing only slightly in their dosing schedule.
Scientists have known for some time that drospireone carries a higher risk for blood clots. The most recent study suggests an approximately 1.5-fold increase in the risk of blood clots for women who use drospirenone-containing birth control pills compared to users of other hormonal contraceptives. Other studies have concluded that the risk is as high as three times that of other birth control drugs.
The FDA has announced it is looking into requiring increased warnings on these drugs.
Legal Help for Victims of Yasmin or Yaz Injuries
If you or a loved one were prescribed Yasmin or Yaz and suffered any of the above injuries, you may have valuable legal rights. Please fill out our online form, or call us toll-free 1-877-My-Advocates (1-877-692-3862) to discuss your case with one of our pharmaceutical injury lawyers today.
