Yasmin Pulmonary Embolism

Approved by the FDA in 2001 as an oral contraceptive, Yasmin was one of the first birth control pills to use the new progestin called “drospirenone.” Though all birth control pills carry some risk of blood clots, those containing drospirenone have been found in studies to increase the risk of blood clots more than older types of birth control pills. These blood clots can lead to other serious and life-threatening Yasmin side effects like Yasmin pulmonary embolism.

Thousands of women who have suffered from Yasmin side effects have gone on to file a Yasmin lawsuit, in an attempt to hold manufacturer Bayer liable for failing to warn of the risks.

Yasmin pulmonary embolism caused by blood clots

Pulmonary embolism is a condition in which a blood clot forms in an artery leading to the lung. When blood clots develop in the deep veins of the legs, as a result of a condition called deep vein thrombosis (DVT), they can then travel up through the circulatory system to the lung arteries. Yasmin pulmonary embolism can be life threatening, as it can lead to low oxygen levels, organ damage, and even death.

Yasmin lawsuit accuses Bayer of withholding information

Court documents unsealed in December 2011 indicated that Bayer withheld important safety information concerning Yasmin side effects when they first applied for the drug’s approval in 2001.

In December 2011, an FDA advisory panel announced that the Yasmin warning label was inadequate, and should contain more information about Yasmin blood clots. A study of over 1 million Danish women published about the same time confirmed these concerns, showing that women taking drospirenone-containing birth control pills had twice the risk of Yasmin blood clots as women taking other types of birth control.

Thousands injured by Yasmin side effects

Thousands of women have filed a Yasmin lawsuit because of Yasmin side effects. Some of these lawsuits are filed by women who survived the condition, while others are filed by family members who lost a loved one to a blood clot in the lung.

In 2009, each federal Yasmin lawsuit was transferred to one court in the state of Illinois for coordinated pretrial proceedings, with early bellwether trials scheduled in 2012 to hear complaints involving Yasmin pulmonary embolism. At the beginning of the year, those bellwether trials were postponed by Judge Herndon in favor of mediation.

Coordinated proceedings have also been established in state courts in New Jersey, California, and Pennsylvania. So far, about 70 women have negotiated Yasmin settlements.

In April 2012, the FDA stated that new warnings regarding Yasmin side effects—specifically those related to blood clots—would be required on birth control pills containing drospirenone. The revised drug labels will report that some studies indicate as high as a three-fold risk for blood clots when compared to products containing other types of progestins.