San Diego, CA (PRWEB) August 28, 2013
http://www.resource4thepeople.com/defectivedrugs/yasmin.html
Resource4thePeople announced today its latest consumer update about the progress of lawsuits involving allegations that the popular birth control pills Yaz and Yasmin may cause serious blood-clotting problems.
The court docket* in the case shows that a key hearing has been scheduled by the judge overseeing thousands of federal Yaz and Yasmin lawsuits alleging that the use of the oral contraceptives caused women to suffer life-threatening blood-clotting issues.
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.*
U.S. District Court Judge David R. Herndon scheduled the hearing for Sept 4., 2013 at 3 p.m. in the East St. Louis Courthouse in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Illinois.
"This will be an important meeting at which the judge overseeing what is called a multidistrict litigation meets with attorneys for the plaintiffs and those representing the manufacturers of Yaz and Yasmin to discuss the progress of these lawsuits," said Resource4thePeople.
"The court docket shows that cases are continually being added and dismissed as new cases are filed and older cases are settled or otherwise adjudicated over the issue of whether these contraceptives caused women to suffer serious blood-clotting problems."
Resource4thePeople also announced that even though this litigation has been underway for several years new cases will continue to be reviewed and other women still may be eligible to file their own Yaz or Yasmin lawsuit over similar allegations.
"Our national network of attorneys will continue to be available to provide free consultations for women are seeking information about their legal rights to seek compensation over these allegations," said Resource4thePeople.
Judge David R. Herndon is now overseeing nearly 10,000 federal court Yaz and Yasmin lawsuits consolidated from across the country because they contain similar allegations, according to the latest figures** issued by the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation.
“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.
Resrouce4thePeople notes that Bayer Pharmaceuticals -- the company that manufactured and marketed Yaz and Yasmin -- confirmed in its Feb. 28, 2013 annual report*** that many of these 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 according to the annual report.
Bayer also has agreed to pay up to $24 million to settle other lawsuits in the multidistrict litigation involving allegations over gall bladder side effects, according to the court file.
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.
Meanwhile, 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.
"The number of lawsuits involving Yaz and Yasmin blood-clotting allegations will likely continue to increase in light of news from Canada about links reported by government officials there between the contraceptives and deaths," said Resource4thePeople.
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."
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.
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 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:
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.jpml.uscourts.gov/sites/jpml/files/Pending%20MDL%20Dockets_By%20District_May-14-2013.pdf
***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_law
*****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