Yasmin (Yaz) Side Effects Lawyer

Yaz/Yasmin (Ocella) Birth Control Linked to Strokes & Heart Attacks

Yaz/Yasmin has been linked to serious side effects including strokes, heart attacks and death. Bayer Healthcare manufactures Yaz. Yaz and Yasmin are actually two separate drugs. They are both birth control pills and they have nearly identical chemical compositions. Both Yaz and Yasmin have been linked to the same serious side effects. Yasmin was introduced onto the market in 2001 and received approval by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2001. The FDA approved Yaz in March 2006.

In 2008, Barr Pharmaceuticals, a competing drug co., released a generic version of Yaz/Yasmin on the market called Ocella. The chemical makeup of Ocella is nearly identical to its brand-name counterparts. Due to the lower cost on consumers, Ocella has in some instances been prescribed in place of Yaz. Unfortunately, the same serious side effects present in Yaz/Yasmin are being discovered in patients using Ocella.

Yaz/Yasmin and its generic version, Ocella, are once daily oral contraceptives. They are designed to prevent pregnancy in women. According to Bayer’s claims, Yaz also treats symptoms of PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) and moderate acne. However, Yaz’s primary purpose is to prevent pregnancy.

One of the key hormones, a synthetic progesterone in Yaz (and Ocella) is called drsp (drospirenone). This hormone increases the potassium levels of users. The increased potassium levels are dangerous for people with kidney, liver or adrenal disease. The high potassium levels in the body can cause serious heart conditions, including a change in the acid balance of the body and muscle weakness. In fact, the FDA has received information indicating that many of the deaths in women who were taking Yaz resulted from increased potassium levels. Another key hormone is ethinyl estradiol, a synthetic estrogen. It is found in nearly all types of oral birth control and in NuvaRing (a vaginal ring contraceptive).

Less serious side effects include upper respiratory infection, headache, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, vaginitis, urinary tract infection, suspicious pap smear, intermenstrual bleeding, dizziness and pain. However, recent studies have shown Yaz/Yasmin (Ocella) causes more serious side effects.

These side effects include heart/cardiovascular problems, hypertension, gallbladder disease, benign liver tumors, diabetes, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), thromobophlebitis (vein inflammation from a blood clot), pulmonary embolism (PE), stroke, heart attack (myocardial infarction), cerebral hemorrhage (brain trauma) and death.

As a result of these serious side effects, Public Citizen, a public interest group, has placed Yaz/Yasmin on its “Do Not Use” drug list. Public Citizen also mentioned its concerns about Yaz/Yasmin to the FDA in letters and petitions.

If you believe that you or a loved one has suffered as a result of taking Yaz/Yasmin, you may want to speak with an attorney regarding a potential claim.

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