Yaz is a combination oral contraceptive prescription medication that prevents ovulation and creates changes in the cervical and uterine lining that make it difficult for a woman to become pregnant. Also used to treat moderate acne, the medication is appropriate for women at least 14 years old who have already begun having menstrual periods.
Yaz may also be used to treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a condition in which the symptoms women experience before their periods are more intense, causing disruptive emotional, physical and neurological symptoms. These symptoms must be severe enough to interfere with daily functioning to be called PMDD or warrant a prescription.
Yaz Lawsuits
Thousands of women have filed suit against the maker of Yaz, Bayer Pharmaceuticals. The Plaintiffs in these cases allege that Yaz and Yasmin side effects increased their risks of strokes, heart attacks, pulmonary embolisms (PE), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), kidney failure, pancreatitis, gallbladder disease and other conditions. The suit alleges that Bayer did not adequately research the birth control pills or provide adequate warnings about the increased risks of Yaz compared to other birth control prescriptions.
Yaz Federal MDL
To date, all federal Yaz litigation has been consolidated for pretrial proceedings as part of the Yasmin and Yaz (Drospirenone) Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2100, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. Presided over by Chief Judge David Herndon, the cases include 2,621 lawsuits on behalf of women who were allegedly harmed by taking the drug. The MDL cases do not include the 426 lawsuits filed under Mass Tort consolidation in New Jersey, nor those in Pennsylvania.
August Status Conference
At a status conference in August, representatives of the Plaintiffs announced their desire to choose the cases that will be litigated to determine the outcome of all other cases in the MDL. Defendant attorneys countered that they wished to have the option to provide input in a bellwether process. Under a bellwether proceeding, a small portion of cases would be tried and the results would then be applied to settlements for all other MDL cases in the litigation.
Additional Documents Requested
The Plaintiffs Steering Committee is seeking additional discovery concerning other Bayer contraceptive prescription pills like Angeliq and Natazia, both of which contain different forms of the hormone progestin, also found in Yaz. The Defendants complained that they had already supplied more than 30 million pages of information, plus many other discovery responses to fulfill the requests of Plaintiff attorneys.
Upcoming Events in Yaz Litigation
Discovery and depositions should be complete in time for a trial that is estimated to take place in September 2011 trial, barring any unforeseen problems. The next status conference will take place in September 2010.
Contact Us
If you were seriously injured by the oral contraceptive marketed under the names Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella, contact our office for a free consultation an advice on how you should proceed. You may be eligible to receive compensation for your injuries as part of the Multi-District Litigation proceedings.
