- Ennis & Ennis

01/02/2012 - Bayer is facing more than 7000 lawsuits over its popular birth control pills Yaz and Yasmin over serious side effects such as blood clots, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), gallbladder disease, and other cardiovascular complications. Many of the lawsuits allege that Bayer failed to adequately warn about these risks.

With so many lawsuits pending with common claims, Judge Herndon will conduct three "test trials" or "bellwether trials" to evaluate how juries are likely to respond to evidence and testimony common to all of the cases. The test trials are also meant to inspire settlements throughout the country. According to motions asking the court to consolidate several other individual lawsuits into single trials, Bayer has resisted any type of settlement thus far.

Last month, attorneys representing plaintiffs in thousands of Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella lawsuits released an expert witness report written by former FDA Commissioner David Kessler, in which Kessler asserted that Bayer AG had hidden a higher blood clot risk associated with Yasmin, the precursor to both Yaz and Ocella.

According to Kessler, Bayer had documented that Yasmin was 10 times more likely to cause serious side effects, including a dangerous type of blood clot called deep vein thrombosis (DVT), in the draft of an August 2004 white paper produced by its employees.

But when the paper was submitted to the FDA, the statement mentioning the increased DVT risk was omitted. Also omitted was an earlier draft opinion by company researchers that “spontaneous reporting data do signal a difference in the VTE rates for Yasmin” compared with other oral contraceptives, Kessler said. “Had I, or a medical review officer, known these facts prior to approval, further investigation would be warranted before a decision on Yasmin’s NDA (new drug application) could be made,”

The test trials are scheduled to begin next year.

Yaz / Yasmin / Ocella Lawsuit News Archive::

If you or a loved one have suffered serious yaz side effects, injury or death while using Yaz you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the yaz side effects lawyers of Ennis & Ennis, P.A. today for a free nationwide case evaluation. Our experienced Yaz attorneys can answer any questions you may have about Yaz side effects or a potential Yaz lawsuit. Fill out the case evaluation form at ennislaw.com or call toll free: 1.800.856.6405.

Under no circumstances should you discontinue taking any medication, including Yaz or one the generic versions, without first consulting with your doctor.