Ark. Woman Sues Merck for Alleged NuvaRing Injuries

Ark. Woman Sues Merck for Alleged NuvaRing Injuries

By Amanda Antell

Arkansas plaintiff Nicole Sutton is suing Merck & Co. for the injuries she allegedly sustained from using their birth control product, NuvaRing. Sutton alleges that she suffered from pulmonary embolism as a direct consequence of using NuvaRing.

According to the NuvaRing lawsuit, Sutton was initially prescribed the contraceptive ring in September 2007. On March 2, 2008, Sutton was hospitalized after she compared of severe cramping. At the hospital, she was allegedly diagnosed with pulmonary embolism.

Sutton says neither she nor her physician was made aware of the risk of pulmonary embolism and other possible side effects that could occur from using the NuvaRing. According to her NuvaRing lawsuit, there were no warnings or indications about these risks on the product’s label.  Had Sutton known about this side effect, she says never would have used the contraceptive ring.

She is suing Merck for manufacturing, selling, distributing and marketing a dangerous product.  The charges in her NuvaRing lawsuit include negligence, false advertising, misrepresenting a product and concealing information.

Overview of NuvaRing Complications

The NuvaRing was first approved for market by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in 2001, and has since become one of the most popular birth control methods in the United States.  It is the first and only vaginal ring contraceptive currently available in America. 

The NuvaRing is a small ring, made out of a flexible and biologically-safe rubber, which lines the wall of the vaginal, making it comfortable and fairly non-invasive. It prevents pregnancy by releasing a hormone compound consisting of ethinyl estradiol and etonogestrel directly into the bloodstream through the vaginal walls. This mixture of hormones prevents the woman’s body from ovulating, ultimately preventing pregnancy. 

Despite the efficiency and convenience of the NuvaRing, there have been recent health concerns over this product, regarding its side effects, including certain injury reports indicating pulmonary embolism.  In October 2003, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine observed the effects of the NuvaRing and other contraceptives in patients. The study concluded that patients who used the NuvaRing were more likely to suffer from stroke, heart attack, pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis than patients who took birth control pills. Despite these concerns, the NuvaRing’s current label reportedly does not include the any of the mentioned side effects.  

Sutton’s NuvaRing lawsuit has been transferred into multidistrict litigation (MDL) that is centered in Eastern Missouri. She is joining other women who have suffered similar injuries, and are seeking similar damages. 

This NuvaRing Injuries Lawsuit is Nicole Sutton v. Merck & Co., Case No. 4:13-cv-1030, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. It has been added to the NuvaRing MDL, In Re: NuvaRing Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 1964, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.

File a NuvaRing Lawsuit Today

If you believe that you or a loved one have been the victim of a NuvaRing injury, you have legal options. Please visit the NuvaRing Birth Control Class Action Lawsuit Settlement & Investigation. There, you can submit your claim for a free legal review and if it qualifies for legal action, a seasoned NuvaRing lawyer will contact you for a free, no-obligation consultation. You will be guided through the litigation process at no out-of-pocket expenses or hidden fees. The NuvaRing attorneys working this investigation do not get paid until you do.