Do Women Taking Yaz and Yasmin Face Risks
Research now shows some oral contraceptives, including Yaz and Yasmin, significantly increase the risk of blood clots in users – a high price to pay for a drug promoted and sold to young women “…as a quality-of-life treatment to combat acne and severe premenstrual depression.”
One of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, Bayer HealthCare, has had enormous commercial success with its line of oral contraceptives, Yaz and Yasmin.
Yaz is the top-selling birth control pill in the country; together with sister Yasmin, it accounted for over $1.8 billion in revenue for Bayer in 2008.
But the German pharmaceutical giant acknowledged problems with its star products in its annual report released late last year: over 1,100 lawsuits are pending over the allegedly dangerous side effects of the two drugs. Included in this total, Bayer noted five class action lawsuits arising from problems with these drugs.
Studies Highlight The Dangers
The case against Bayer was bolstered last year by a pair of studies in the prestigious British Medical Journal. The research showed some oral contraceptives, including Yaz and Yasmin, significantly increase the risk of blood clots in users. Women who take prescription contraceptives containing drospirenonem are 6.3 times more likely to suffer blood clots that can cause serious health problems such as heart attacks, strokes and arrhythmia.
Yaz and Yasmin both contain drospirenonem, a progestin that increases potassium levels in users. Potassium helps regulate heartbeats, but elevated levels can lead to potentially fatal arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat). Abnormally high levels of potassium can also increase the risk of gall bladder disease.
Authors of one of the studies in the British Medical Journal concluded that “with such a large number of women using oral contraceptives, even the smallest increase of side effects will affect many.”
Deceptive Ads Lured Young Women
Bayer owes much of the success of Yaz to ad campaigns that the New York Times said “promoted the drug as a quality-of-life treatment to combat acne and severe premenstrual depression.”
Last year, the Food and Drug Administration forced Bayer to counter its misleading ads with commercials warning viewers of the dangers of Yaz and Yasmin, as well as correcting the deceptive message that the drugs were approved for treatment of PMS.
The research shows that Yaz and Yasmin are no more effective in preventing pregnancy than birth control containing levonorgestrel, a synthetic progestogen that has a lower risk of venous thrombosis (a blood clot inside a vein).
If you have taken Yaz or Yasmin and suffered health problems as a result, contact an attorney familiar with women’s health and safety issues to find out about your legal options.
Short URL: http://clicknews.org/?p=79
Posted by Sally
on Mar 13 2010. Filed under Featured News, Health.
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