Burg Simpson is at the forefront of national litigation involving the contraceptive birth control pill Yasmin/Yaz – Multidistrict Litigation (MDL #2100) in the Southern District of Illinois. The Firm represents thousands of women nationwide.

Burg Simpson founding shareholder, Michael S. Burg, was appointed to serve as one of only three Co-Lead Counsel to serve on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee by Judge David R. Herndon, the federal judge presiding over the Yasmin® and Yaz ® Marketing Sales Practices and Product Liability Litigation. Fellow Burg Simpson shareholder, Seth A. Katz, chairs the litigation’s Discovery Committee, and shareholder Janet G. Abaray serves as co-chair of the Science Committee.

Yasmin ® and Yaz ®  are birth control pills manufactured by Bayer Healthcare. The generic brand Ocella ® is marketed and distributed by Barr Laboratories, Inc. Yasmin ® and Yaz® contain the same estrogenic compound, ethinyl estradiol, that has been used in the Pill since the 1970s, but the progestin in Yasmin® and Yaz® is new. Yasmin® and Yaz® both contain drospirenone, a “fourth generation” progestin. No other birth control pills contain drospirenone, except for a recently approved generic version of Yasmin® and Yaz® , called Ocella® .

May 19th, 2010 - Michael S. Burg Speaks To Denver’s 7NEWS On Yaz/Yasmin Litigation

November 10th, 2009 - Michael S. Burg Appointed Co-Lead Counsel in Yasmin/Yaz Multidistrict Litigation

Drospirenone causes an increase in potassium levels in the blood. The FDA has warned Bayer that “increased serum potassium can be dangerous.” In fact, excess serum potassium can lead to a condition known as hyperkalemia. Hyperkalemia can cause heart rhythm disturbances, such as extrasystolies, pauses or bradycardia.

If left untreated, hyperkalemia can be fatal. In particular, if hyperkalemia disrupts the normal heart rhythms, the flow of the blood through the heart can be slowed to the point that it permits blood clots to form. Blood clots in the heart can then lead to heart attacks, or break off and travel to the lungs where they can cause pulmonary embolus, or travel to the brain causing stroke.

In addition, Yasmin® and Yaz® are marketed to reduce water retention and bloating often associated with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). However, too much loss of fluids can lead to dehydration, which also increases the risk of blood clots. If Yasmin® or Yaz® lead to excessive loss of fluids resulting in dehydration, women using these products can be at an increased risk of blood clots.

During the time that Bayer marketed Yasmin® and Yaz® , the FDA sent Bayer repeated letters concerning the way in which Bayer promoted these products. On October 2, 2008, the FDA sent Bayer a warning letter concerning Yaz ®  television commercials that the FDA found to be misleading and deceptive. Women who saw these commercials were misled to beleive that Yaz® has benefits that had not been established in Bayer’s critical testing of the drug.

FDA Reports of Deaths among users of Yasmin® and Yaz®

From the first quarter of 2004 through the third quarter of 2008, well over 50 reports of death among users of Yasmin® and Yaz® have been filed with FDA. These include numerous deaths with reported cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, intracardiac thrombus (blood clots in the heart), pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs) and stroke in women in their child bearing years. Some of the deaths occurred in women as young as 17 years old. Significantly, reports of elevated potassium levels are frequently included among the symptoms of those suffering fatalities while using Yasmin® or Yaz® .

If you or a loved one suffered serious injury or if your loved one suffered death while using Yasmin® , Yaz ® or the generic product Ocella® , the experienced drug liability lawyers at Burg Simpson are available for a free consultation.

Yaz® and Yasmin® are registered trademarks of Bayer Pharmaceuticals. Ocella® is a registered Barr Laboratories, Inc.

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• Michael S. Burg
• Peter W. Burg
• Kerry N. Jardine
• Seth A. Katz
• William L. Simpson
• Colin M. Simpson
• Holly Kammerer
• Janet G. Abaray
• Melanie S. Bailey
• Calvin S. Tregre Jr.
• George E. McLaughlin
• Daniel E. Mckenzie
• Meghan C. Quinlivan
• Stephen J. Burg
• Reeves D. Whalen
• Thomas R. Leemon
• James G. Heckbert