Attorneys Please Note
A judge has requested mass tort status against New Jersey based Yaz manufacturer, Bayer Corporation. The Certified Civil Trial Attorneys at Keefe Bartels are ready to handle Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella Referrals

Consumer Alert: Yaz, Yasmin, Ocella Birth Control Linked to Serious and Potentially Life-Threatening Injuries

Our team of defective drug lawyers at Keefe Bartels is currently researching potential birth control related injury claims regarding Yaz/Yasmin. The contraceptive Yaz, also known as drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol, and its generic counterpart Ocella, are manufactured respectively by Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals and Teva Pharmaceuticals. Approved by the FDA in March of 2006, Yaz/Yasmin birth control is considered "fourth generation" birth control, which uses a combination of hormones that includes the new synthetic hormone drospirenone. Yaz combines the estrogen traditionally found in birth control pills with drospirenone, a newer synthetic progestin. Studies have shown that drospirenone can act as a diuretic, causing heightened potassium levels in some women. Potassium plays a key role in regulating cardiac function and heightened potassium levels can lead to a condition called hyperkalemia. Symptoms of hyperkalemia include nausea, loss of nerve and muscle control, weak pulse, irregular heartbeat, and even potentially blood clots, cardiac arrest, and death.

While there has been no recall of Yaz and Yasmin, several articles have been published indicating serious and potentially life threatening side effects including:

• Circulatory System Problems
  • Venous Thrombosis (blood clot)
  • Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT)
  • Pulmonary Embolism
  • Stroke
  • Cardiac Arrest
• Gallbladder Disease and Gall Stones
• Pancreatitis
• Hyperkalemia

Side effects of Yaz can increase based on several lifestyle and risk factors. Women who are over 35 years old, female smokers who smoke more than 15 cigarettes a day, women living with diabetes, or women who are overweight and/or have high cholesterol are increasingly at risk to experience the serious negative side effects of Yaz/Yasmin.

Despite the health risks associated with the drug, Yaz continues to be one of the most popular contraceptives on the market, generating over $600 million in American sales in 2008 alone. Yaz birth control has been heavily marketed to woman throughout the country and touted as an effective tool in treating premenstrual syndrome (PMS), premenstrual disphoric disorder (PMDD), and the bloating, weight gain and acne associated with menstruation. In 2008, the FDA issued a warning to the manufacturers of Yaz regarding deceptive advertising. The manufacturers agreed to launch a $20 million dollar ad campaign to clarify that Yaz is not proven to treat PMS or maintain clear skin.

The attorneys at Keefe Bartels seek to increase awareness about potentially unsafe drugs such as Yaz. Too often when it comes to "blockbuster" drugs, pharmaceutical companies place the bottom line and profits over concerns about the health and safety of their customers. While the FDA acts as a watchdog to protect consumers, the dangers associated with a relatively new drug such as Yaz may not be readily apparent until harm has already been done.

The defective drug attorneys at Keefe Bartels are hard at work doing their part to protect the public from potentially dangerous drugs such as Yaz.