Yasmin Linked to Liver Problems
Yaz, a popular birth control pill, manufactured by the Bayer corporation has been linked to serious health problems. An unusually high number of women who took the pill have been diagnosed with serious and fatal problems, including tumors and cirrhosis. Yaz, or Yasmin, is a drospirenone containing drug. This hormone is known to raise the level of potassium in the blood. According to health experts, most women do not find this a problem, but can cause problems with women who have preexisting liver, kidney, or heart problems. Despite the supposed rarity of these problems, the drug has been liked to health problems in thousands of women and several deaths. Doctors are now recommending that women who take the popular birth control pill have their potassium levels checked before they begin to take it.
Along with other oral contraceptives, Yasmin is known to cause liver tumors. These tumors are usually benign or non-cancerous, but they can occasionally rupture and cause problems. The manufacturer does not offer suggestions to combat this, except to warn women to be aware of this problem and emphasizing that it is rare. While the side effects may be rare, many women were not warned about them before they began taking the drug.
When the contraceptive was first sold to the public it was promoted by a series of ads that did not correctly identify these and other serious problems caused by the drugs. The ads promoted the drug as an alternative to other birth control pills that would help control acne and symptoms of PPMD. Since then Bayer has been reprimanded by the FDA more than three times and has been named defendant in a number of lawsuits. Bayer has also been reprimanded for withholding information that led to faulty drugs being distributed to the general public. The company now places stronger emphasis on the potential side effects in all of its ads, and has included the findings of new studies in its warning labels.
While the current ads address the problem of Bayer’s current marketing strategy, they do nothing for the many women who have already been a victim of the drugs serious and sometimes fatal side effects. Class action lawsuits are currently forming to address this issue. If you feel like you have been affected please fill out the form at the top of the page to have legal counsel call you and discuss whether you have a case.
