Pharma Analysis Blog Covering Growing Controversy Surrounding Yaz Birth Control Pills
There is a growing controversy surrounding Bayer's Yaz birth control pills. Lawsuits are being filed that claim that the pills cause blood clots that often lead to death. The best coverage on the issue that I have found so far is by Jim Edwards at the Pharma Analysis Blog. Here is his latest post, which also links other posts on the topic.
The lawsuits allege that Yaz's ingredient of progesterone increases the risk of blood clots. There have been at least 50 deaths involving Yaz and Bayer was found to have been deceptively marketing the drug. Studies show that there is an increase in clots among users of Yaz. However, the occurence of clots still appears fairly low and, according to Bayer, is a rare event.
Lawyers in other parts of the country are starting to advertise for Yaz cases. I have yet to see any advertisements in Mississippi. With a still low incidence of clots with the drug, it's hard to say whether the litigation could get big like with fen phen or Vioxx. It does not appear that lawyers are accepting cases from users of the drug who did not suffer blood clots and such a strategy appears risky. Defense lawyers looking for the next big wave of litigation in Mississippi might want to look somewhere else. Even if Yaz litigation does explode, it could easily wind up in an MDL in another part of the country.
