Yaz Lawsuits and Stroke
Yaz, which is considered a fourth-generation birth control pill and happens to be one of the most popular contraceptives on the market, has recently been a hot topic in many courtrooms throughout the United States. As with other forms of birth control Yaz prevents ovulation in women and is a medication that makes it more difficult for the sperm to reach the uterus. It was makes it harder for a fertilized egg to become attached to the uterus, which can cause pregnancy.
The medication has also been widely prescribed and marketed toward women, age 14 and older, to help treat acne, and symptoms associated with PMS and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). However, in recent years, many side effects of Yaz have become evident and have even taken the lives of innocent women who are being prescribed this form of birth control by their doctors.
Recent Lawsuit Filed Against Makers of Yaz
Amidst the hundreds of Yaz related lawsuits that have been filed throughout the country is one that was just filed last week in California federal court. According to the suit, a woman who was taking Yaz was forced to have a portion of her brain and skull removed after suffering from a stroke. The stroke was believed to be caused by Yaz and was the result of its severe side effects.
Susan Galinis, of Newark, California, filed the Yaz lawsuit against the producers of the drug, Bayer Pharmaceuticals. Galinis claimed that Bayer failed to adequately research the birth control pill they were, and still are, marketing to women like her, who before taking the pill had good health. She also stated in her complaint that Bayer fails to warn consumers of the increased risk of stroke that is accompanied with taking the contraceptive. According to reports, not only does Galinis hope to be compensated for all she has been through as a result of her stroke and Yaz, but she also hopes the lawsuit will make more women aware of Yaz side effects. She even hopes her, and the hundreds of other Yaz lawsuit that have been filed, will forced Bayer to recall Yaz.
Ingredients in Yaz Could be Deadly
Yaz reportedly contains a newer type of progestin, drospirenone, which is evident in the pill along with ethinyl estradiol. In combination these two ingredients are meant to prevent pregnancy. However, they could just be the lethal combination that is causing blood clots, stroke, and even deaths in women prescribed Yaz.
Galinis’ complaint and other Yaz lawsuits that have been filed throughout the U.S., claim drospirenone causes an increase in potassium levels in the blood. This can cause a condition known as hyperkalemia, which can lead to other health problems. Yaz has also been linked to an increased risk of blood clots, which can lead to stroke, heart attack, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism or a very sudden, and unexpected death.
Woman's Life Forever Altered
Galinis, who is now 39, was prescribed Yaz to ease pain she was experiencing from premenstrual cramps. She has only been taking the drug for four weeks and one day when she suddenly had a stroke in June 2008. Due to the stroke she was hospitalized for six months, and doctors had to make the hard decision to remove a portion of her skull and brain in order to save her life. Galinis now has little to no short-term memory because of the surgery, and her I.Q. has reportedly dropped to 77.
In early October, Bayer announced that they have been served with at least 129 lawsuits due to Yaz and its side effects. Thousands of more lawsuits are expected to follow in the upcoming year. However, Yaz has yet to be recalled despite the stroke, blood clots, and other injuries it can cause and it still remains one of the most widely prescribed forms of contraceptive in the United States.
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