Update on Yaz, Yasmin Lawsuits Alleging Blood-Clotting Side Effects: Resource4thePeople Reports Number of Consolidated Cases Climbs to Nearly 10,000
San Diego, CA (PRWEB) July 11, 2013 -- http://www.resource4thepeople.com/defectivedrugs/yasmin.html
Resource4thePeople is updating consumers interested in birth control litigation today with the most recent statistics compiled from federal court officials about consolidated federal lawsuits involving allegations that the popular birth control pills Yaz and Yasmin may cause serious blood-clotting problems.
The latest figures* issued by the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation shows that there are 9,961 cases under the supervision of an Illinois federal judge assigned to oversee a multidistrict litigation in which cases from across the country have been consolidated.
“These statistics document the substantial number of women who are alleging that they have suffered serious blood-clotting problems from the use of oral contraceptives that were marketed as safe to women choosing this type of contraception,” said Resource4thePeople.
“As these cases proceed forward we will continue to offer free consultations for other women who have allegedly suffered similar side effects and wish to determine what their legal rights to compensation may be.”
Resource4thePeople expects that the number of lawsuits involving Yaz and Yasmin blood-clotting allegations will continue to increase, particularly in light of news from Canada over links reported by government officials there between the contraceptives and deaths.**
The Canadian Broadcasting Company reported in a June 12, 2013 posting that "According to documents obtained from Health Canada, doctors and pharmacists say Yaz and Yasmin are suspected in the deaths of the women, who mostly died suddenly from blood clots."
“This is a disturbing report but the information contained in Health Canada’s documents mirrors some of the allegations contained in Yaz and Yasmin lawsuits that are being filed in the United States,” said Resource4thePeople.
“The fallout from the Canadian report is that we have received a significant increase in the number of inquiries from consumers in the United States who are seeking information about the possibility of seeking compensation in connection with their allegations.”
Health Canada is the Canadian equivalent to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which, on April 10, 2012, issued a Health Warning informing consumers and physicians about possible Yaz and Yasmin blood clotting side effects.***
"The Health Canada report comes shortly after a Canadian judge certified**** a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of women who are making allegations that Yaz and Yasmin can cause life-threatening blood clots," said Resource4thePeople.
"In the meantime there has been similar litigation***** ongoing in the United States in which Bayer Pharmaceuticals is defending itself in a multidistrict litigation that now includes thousands of plaintiffs, according to the court docket."
Resource4thePeople said it will continue to provide U.S. and Canadian consumers with timely updates about the progress of this litigation.
"This has now become an international litigation involving claims that women have died or suffered life-threatening side effects from the use of these contraceptives," said Resource4thePeople.
In the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation posting it was reported that "While Bayer has already paid more than $1 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits in the U.S., the drug company tells CBC News it stands by its products."
The CBC also reported in its posting that "According to the documents obtained from Health Canada, between 2007 and February 2013, doctors and pharmacists have reported 600 adverse reactions and 23 deaths where Yaz or Yasmin were suspected. More than half of the reported deaths were women under 26, with the youngest age 14."
The Canadian class-action case contains similar allegations to those contained in American lawsuits consolidated in the multidistrict litigation before a federal judge in Illinois.
Bayer has confirmed its Feb. 28, 2013 annual report****** that many of these U.S. cases are in the process of being settled.
"As of February 12, 2013, Bayer had reached agreements, without admission of liability, to settle the claims of approximately 4,800 claimants in the U.S. for a total amount of about US $1 billion," according to the annual report.
Bayer also has agreed******* to pay up to $24 million to settle other lawsuits involving allegations over gall bladder side effects, according to the court files in the litigation.
These settlements are a different component of this consolidated litigation in Illinois in which plaintiffs claimed that they suffered gall bladder injuries because they used Yaz and Yasmin as contraceptives.
Reuters News Service reported******* March 20, 2013 that the settlements also include Yaz and Yasmin cases in state courts in California, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
"Under the agreement, Bayer will pay $2,000 to plaintiffs who suffered gallbladder injuries and $3,000 to individuals who had their gallbladders removed, according to the agreement," Reuters reported.
Women who have filed Yaz and Yasmin blood-clotting lawsuits have claimed that they suffered blood clots, deep vein thrombosis, strokes and pulmonary embolisms as a result of their use of the contraceptives according to allegations contained in their lawsuits.*****
The April 10, 2012 Food and Drug Administration warning about Yaz and Yasmin blood-clotting side effects mirrored these allegations:
“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has completed its review of recent observational (epidemiologic) studies regarding the risk of blood clots in women taking drospirenone-containing birth control pills. Drospirenone is a synthetic version of the female hormone, progesterone, also referred to as a progestin. Based on this review, FDA has concluded that drospirenone-containing birth control pills may be associated with a higher risk for blood clots than other progestin-containing pills.”
Sources:
*http://www.jpml.uscourts.gov/sites/jpml/files/Pending%20MDL%20Dockets_By%20District_May-14-2013.pdf
**http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2013/06/11/birth-control-pills-yaz-yasmin.html
***http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm299305.htm
****Case # 52030110, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, St. Catherine's, Ontario, Canada
***** In re: Yasmin and Yaz (Drospirenone) Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation MDL No. 2100, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois
******http://www.annualreport2012.bayer.com/en/legal-risks.aspx
*******http://newsandinsight.thomsonreuters.com/Legal/News/2013/03_-_March/Bayer_agrees_to_settle_Yasmin,_Yaz_gallbladder_lawsuits/
Bill Callahan, iLawSuit, 858 602-2749, [email protected]
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