On April 10, 2012 the FDA published a drug safety announcement about the risk of Yaz blood clots from drospirenone-containing birth control pills. The statement revealed that while hormone-based birth control medications typically carry an elevated risk of blood clot, “studies reported as high as a three-fold increase in the risk of blood clots for drospirenone-containing products.” Yaz, Yasmin, and the generic version Ocella, are popular drospirenone-containing birth control pills.
Yaz Linked to Pulmonary Embolism, Deep Vein Thrombosis, Other Injuries
The investigation was largely prompted by two studies conducted by the British Medical Journal (BMJ). Each study reviewed drospirenone-containing birth control medications and the rate of pulmonary embolism (PE) or deep vein thrombosis (DVT) diagnosis. According to the FDA, studies found greater blood clot risks in women taking birth control with drospirenone. This was also true compared to women taking birth control medication containing the hormone levonorgestrel.
Yaz Blood Clots Lead to Severe Injuries
Yaz became popular partly due to deceptive marketing that highlighted benefits and minimized risks. In 2008 the FDA sent Bayer, the drug’s manufacturer, a warning letter over its misleading ad claims. Despite being deceptive in nature, these ads prompted many women to choose this form of birth control.
According to ABC News, Carissa Ubersox of Madison, WI switched to Yaz in 2007 after seeing a TV commercial. The advertisement claimed that the pill could help fight bloating and acne, two issues Ubersox was looking to combat. Merely 3 months after beginning her Yaz regimen, she suffered from a massive double pulmonary embolism that left her in a two-week coma and blinded her for life. While the culprit’s unclear, drospirenone carries a greater risk of Yaz blood clots than other oral contraceptives. And for an otherwise healthy young woman without family history of blood clots, Yaz has key timing in Carissa Ubersox’s injuries.
How Women Can Get Help
If you were prescribed a birth control medication such as Yaz, Yasmin, or Ocella and were diagnosed with a blood clot-related injury, you may be eligible for financial compensation. Attorneys across the nation are currently fighting for victims of these medications and can help you too. If you’re ready to see if you may have a claim, it’s easy to get started. Simply fill out this free claim review form to check your eligibility today.