Women who take birth control know doing so comes with a risk of blood clots, especially if they’re a smoker over 35. However, two new studies by the British Medical Journal found that women who take contraceptives like Bayer’s Yaz or Yasmin have a two to threefold higher risk of blood clots.
As a result of the findings, the Food & Drug Administration issued a statement Tuesday saying it’s conducting a new safety review of birth control pills that contain drospirenone, the hormone that’s alleged to increase blood clot risk. The results of their investigation should be released later this summer.
Drospirenone, in addition to Yaz and Yasmin, is also used in Ocella, Beyaz, and Safyral. For a complete list, click here.
Despite the new findings, Bayer continues to insist its oral contraceptives are safe, according to the NYTimes. Yet, nearly 7,000 lawsuits filed against the company tell a different story. Approximately 200 reported deaths have been linked to Yaz/Yasmine and numerous other serious medical problems such as stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and gall bladder problems.
As one of the firms handling the national cases against Bayer, Simmons Hanly Conroy and its experienced pharmaceutical attorneys are in a position to help United States victims of contraceptives.
