Injury or Death as a Result of YAZ, Yasmin, or Ocella

If you or someone you love has taken or is taking YAZ, Yasmin, or Ocella, then you or she could be at risk of the following dangerous side effects:

The Yankowitz Law Firm is already helping hundreds of women throughout the country whose lives have been impacted by the damaging side effects of YAZ/Yasmin/Ocella. Call us at 1-800-LAW-3333 for a free consulation, or fill out the following contact form. Protect your legal rights, and obtain the justice and the money that you deserve.

Questions about YAZ/Yasmin/Ocella:

What are YAZ, Yasmin, and Ocella?

Yasmin is a type of birth control originally developed by Berlex Laboratories (a U.S. affiliate of Schering AG, Germany) that was first approved for use in 2001. In 2006, the drug company, Bayer, acquired Berlex and marketed a more recent version of Yasmin, called YAZ. Ocella is the generic version. As a consequence of their relation, the drugs are often written together as YAZ/Yasmin/Ocella.

How do YAZ, Yasmin, and Ocella work?

YAZ/Yasmin/Ocella contains two types of hormones: an estrogen and a progestin. The estrogen is ethinyl estradiol. The progestin is DRSP, or drospirenone (pronounced dros-peer-eh-none). YAZ/Yasmin/Ocella is the first type of birth control to contain DRSP. Yasmin contains 3 mg drsp and 30 mcg ethinyl estradiol per tablet. YAZ contains 3 mg DRSP and 20 mcg ethinyl estradiol per tablet. The drug prevents ovulation by working against the usual body chemistry of a woman of childbearing potential by suppressing endogenous gonadotropin and, thereby, inhibiting ovulation and altering other changes associated with the menstrual cycle.

DRSP has antimineralocorticoid properties, which means that it can work against the body’s normal mechanism for regulating salt and water balance, a situation that can lead to hyperkalemia, (i.e. elevated levels of potassium), thereby resulting in serious health problems.

How are YAZ, Yasmin, and Ocella marketed?

Yasmin/YAZ/Ocella is the first type of birth control to contain a different kind of hormone, called DRSP or drospirenone (pronounced dros-peer-eh-none). The manufacturers of Yasmin/YAZ/Ocella have touted their drug as a “pill that goes beyond the rest,” promising multiple additional benefits above and beyond unwanted pregnancies. They also claim that their drug is as safe as other types of accepted birth control pills that are on the market.

In light of these promises, made in slick advertising campaigns, YAZ and Yasmin have made Bayer/Berlex millions of dollars. For example, in 2008, sales of YAZ reached $616 million (an approx. 18% U.S. market share), and Yasmin sales reached $382 million (an approx. 11% U.S. market share). (See 2/10/09 NY TIMES article,“Birth Control Pill that Promised to Much.”) It is now the best-selling oral contraception pill in the United States.

Are the manufacturers aware of the risks?

In putting the interest of corporate profits over public safety, Bayer/Berlex’ advertisements have focused almost exclusively on the positive affects of its newest drug creation. It has continually omitted or minimized the very significant risks associated with or increased by the novel drug, including heart attacks, cardiac arrhythmias, blood clots, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), strokes, gallbladder disease, hepatic adenomas or benign liver tumors, and other serious injuries and sudden death.

These life-threatening risks include, but are not limited to, those risks that Bayer knew or should have known are associated with or increased by the unprecedented use of the new hormone, DRSP. Bayer has also improperly encouraged the use of YAZ/Yasmin/Ocella in circumstances other than those in which the drug has been approved and over-stated its benefits. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has repeatedly reprimanded Bayer/Berlex for marketing the drug in a way that minimizes these very serious side effects, thereby misleading millions of women and their prescribing physicians about the safety of this new type of birth control.

The Yankowitz Law Firm represents YAZ, Yasmin and Ocella victims on a contingency fee basis (meaning our fee is earned and paid only from the money we recover for you) at the conclusion of your case.