New Yaz Lawsuit Names Generic Manufacturers As Co-Defendants

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Plaintiff Mary Reinhardt has filed a birth control lawsuit against Bayer, alleging that their Yaz/Yasmin birth control pills caused her to experience life-threatening complications. Reinhardt’s lawsuit also names the manufacturers of the generic form of the drug as defendants. Her suit joins hundreds of other lawsuits making similar allegations.

According to the Yaz/Yasmin lawsuit, Reinhardt began taking Yaz in January of 2012. Less than three months later, in March of 2012, Reinhardt suffered a pulmonary embolism. A pulmonary embolism is a medical emergency in which a blood clot forms within the body and gets lodged in the blood vessels leading to the lungs. This can be extremely painful, and can dangerously elevate blood pressure. A severe-enough pulmonary embolism can kill almost instantly. Reinhardt survived, but according to her lawsuit, she continues to suffer from the effects of this medical emergency.

The Yaz lawsuit alleges that Bayer and related companies knew, or reasonably should have known that the drug was potentially dangerous. The lawsuit cites studies and postmarket surveillance revealing deaths and blood-clot related medical emergencies among the users of Yaz and other Drospirenone-based contraceptives. Some of the cited studies date back to 2008. The reported deaths included women as young as 17 years old.

>>Yaz Lawsuits Filed Over Blood Clot Deaths

The Yaz/Yasmin lawsuit further alleges that in spite of this information, Bayer (and later, the manufacturers of the generic form of the drug) continued to aggressively market the medication. To support this allegation, the lawsuit cites a 2003 letter from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) that states that Bayer was over-promoting Yaz, marketing it for illnesses it was not approved, downplaying the risks of the drug and exaggerating its benefits. The lawsuit states that the drug made the manufacturers billions of dollars in sales.

One curious element of this case is that it explores the relationship between the manufacturers of the generic form of the drug and Bayer. While both Teva Pharmaceuticals and Barr Laboratories are named as co-defendants along with Bayer, it is stated that Bayer’s agreements with these companies indicates that Bayer would continue to bear the brunt of the product liability for the drugs. However, it is still possible that a judge would rule that the manufacturers of the generic form of the drug would bear some of the liability.

The Yaz/Yasmin lawsuit is Mary Reinhardt v. Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc., et al., Case No. 3:14-cv-100590DRH-PMF, filed within the MDL In Re: Yasmin and Yaz (Drospirenone) Marketing, Sales Practices and Relevant Product Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2100, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.

Get Help for Birth Control Injuries

If you, or someone you care about took Yaz, Yasmin, or other drospirenone-based birth control pills and went on to suffer from blood-clot related illness, you have almost certainly been through a trying ordeal. The types of side effects allegedly linked to Yaz and similar drugs are serious medical emergencies. Ailments like strokes and deep vein thrombosis are major medical issues, and require intensive emergency care. When facing such a situation, many people feel overwhelmed, or even depressed.

Regardless of the challenges you are facing, it is important to remember that you still have rights, and there are steps that you can take to regain a measure of control over your situation. You can take the first step by visiting the Yaz/Yasmin, Beyaz & Ocella Birth Control Pill Class Action Lawsuit Settlement & Investigation. Here, you can enter information about your situation for a legal review by a trained expert with a background in this type of litigation. The initial consultation is completely free of charge, and from it, you can receive additional guidance on the best steps to take in your exact situation.