After facing legal and public scrutiny over its Yaz and Yasmin brands of birth control pills, Bayer Pharmaceuticals Inc. has announced the arrival of its new oral contraceptive, Natazia. Natazia combines an unusual dosing regimen that involves four different combinations of hormones and placebos. The drug features an estrogen hormone that has not previously been used in oral contraceptives.
Bayer’s marketing campaign for Yaz and Yasmin aggressively directed the drugs at teenage girls and young women with claims such as helping to relieve acne and delivering more comfortable and lighter menstrual periods. Although the pamphlets distributed with the actual prescriptions make light of only some of the effects caused by Yaz and Yasmin. One of the commercials for the drugs featured a display of colorful balloons, each with words such as “acne”, “headache”, “bloating”, and “moodiness”. The song “Goodbye to You” was playing in the background. Many adults and young women misconceived that the drugs would help to treat or relieve those symptoms, when in fact, neither Yaz nor Yasmin are approved for uses in treating pre-menstrual syndrome. In fact, over 64% of women interviewed who saw the commercial believed that the contraceptives could alleviate PMS symptoms and relieve acne inflammation.
To prove a correlation between drugs utilizing the hormone drospirenone as a means of birth control and the development of certain medical conditions should not be a daunting task. However, the high amount of emphasis that goes into the rapid production of prescription drugs in order to provide faster consumer availability often leaves companies to disregard the time needed to conduct adequate research of side effects for an extended period of time. Despite negative consumer testimonies and class action lawsuits facing Bayer, competing pharmaceutical companies continue to manufacturer their knock-off birth control pills, as consumers continue to face the health risks associated with these drugs.
If you or a loved one has experienced a serious side effect or symptoms of side effects related to Yaz, Yasmin, or the generic Ocella, contact Newsome Law Firm and fill out a case evaluation form today. Our team of attorneys has experience specific to complications associated with prescription medication recalls. Not only can they give you the legal guidance you need, they can help you get the compensation you deserve.