All that Yaz

Catchy Advertising Camouflages Dangers of Bayer Birth Control Drugs; Searcy Denney Attorneys Now Representing Women Who Have Been Harmed by Yaz

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The law firm of Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley is investigating complications caused by the birth control drugs called Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella, all manufactured by Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals. Searcy Denney has decided to represent those women who have fallen victim to these dangerous drugs and have suffered serious injury or death as a result.

Yaz is that birth control pill with the commercials showing very successful, attractive young women who speak “candidly” about birth control and the responsible decisions for taking these drugs. In one commercial, an actor playing a physician spends several seconds sprinting through some of the potential complications that Bayer deigns to tell you about – including cardiovascular complications such as blood clots, stroke, and heart attack.

While downplaying information about complications, Bayer goes far beyond just hyping birth control. Bayer promises that Yaz will help with the “emotional” symptoms of women’s periods. The company promises that Yaz will treat “headaches, feeling anxious, fatigue, bloating, increased appetite, muscle aches and moodiness” sometimes associated with women’s menstrual cycles. In addition to making these claims about “fixing” women’s hormonal cycles, Bayer markets Yaz as the cure-all for acne suffered by young people.

Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella are called combination hormone contraceptives because they contain both estrogen and progestin.

Although Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella differ in the amounts of estrogen they contain, most women would identify the difference by the cycles in which they are taken. For example, Yaz is taken on a 24/4 cycle, and Yasmin is taken on a 21/7 cycle.

In the case of all three drugs, regardless of the cycle, other medications taken at the same time can pose a high risk of complications. Women with high blood potassium or women taking Motrin, Advil, Aleve or similar over-the-counter medications are at elevated risk when taking Yaz, Yasmin, or Ocella. Also at high risk are women taking ACE inhibitors such as Capoten, Vasotec, and Zestril.

Since 2003, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been warning Bayer about exaggerating the treatment capabilities of Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella.

Bayer has been chastised repeatedly by the FDA for failing to warn sufficiently about the many potential complications of taking Yaz. As recently as 2008, the FDA sent a stern seven-page letter to Bayer stating that:

• Bayer’s TV ads were misleading and overstated the efficacy of Yaz;
• Advertising campaigns “over-promise the benefits and minimize the risk associated with Yaz;”
• Bayer’s ads fail to warn that Yaz has not been evaluated for treatment of premenstrual syndrome (PMS);
• Bayer must formulate a comprehensive plan “to disseminate the truth, non-misleading and complete corrective messages” about Yaz.

Indeed, Bayer’s advertising appears intended to reduce concerns about complications associated with Yaz.  But these complications can be very serious, even life-threatening.

Among the potential complications are:

• Venous thrombosis and thromboembolic events
• Arterial thrombosis and thromboembolic events
• Myocardial infarction
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Thromboembolism
• Hepatic neoplasia
• Gallbladder disease
• Hypertension
• Blood clots
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Pulmonary embolism
• Death

In advertisements similar to the following “balloons” ad, Bayer goes to great lengths to deemphasize the risks associated with Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella – all the while promoting the emotional appeal for the drugs.

Apparently, it was not sufficient for Bayer to promote being responsible by preventing unwanted pregnancies: They went far beyond that, promising that these drugs alleviate the emotional trauma of premenstrual syndrome and adolescent acne. The “balloons” ad touts Yaz as the “only” birth control pill that “goes beyond the rest” by treating the “emotional and physical premenstrual symptoms severe enough to impact your life.” Picturing attractive, successful, and happy young women strongly implies that they are all of these things because of Yaz.

It is clear that Bayer’s aggressive promotion has made Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella  profit-generating drugs. Yaz has become Bayer’s number one seller, generating more than $1.2 billion in sales.

In yet another example of a Big Pharmaceutical Company putting profits before safety, Bayer consistently has downplayed the very significant complications of these products. As the FDA warns, Bayer’s advertising should have been more realistic in its portrayal of the benefits, and more forthright in explaining the very serious complications.

If you have been injured through the use of Yaz, Yasmin, or Ocella, the law firm of Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley has the resources and skilled attorneys to help you seek the justice you deserve. If you are a family member who believes that a loved one has died as a result of Yaz, Yasmin, or Ocella, our firm stands ready to assist you in understanding and pursuing your rights.

Contact us for a free consultation with one of our experienced mass tort attorneys. Just complete the contact form on this page, or call us at 1-800-780-8607. A staff member will call you back right away to schedule an appointment.