Chicago woman files Yaz lawsuit over gallbladder injuries
A Chicago woman has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers of the birth control pills Yaz alleging that they caused her to develop gallstones. Yaz and another popular form of birth control, Yasmin, contain a form of the hormone progestin called drospirenone.
According to her lawsuit, Melissa Johnson developed gallstones and was forced to have her gallbladder removed after using Yaz. The lawsuit alleges that the benefits of using birth control pills such as Yaz containing drospirenone are outweighed by their risk of side effects compared with other forms of contraception. Two studies published in the British Medical Journal have linked Yaz and Yasmin to an increased risk of several side effects, including blood clots, heart attack and strokes.
Johnson’s lawsuit also criticizes Bayer, the manufacturer of Yaz, for promoting the contraceptives for the treatment of certain unapproved conditions, such as acne or PMS symptoms. The Food and Drug Administration forced Bayer to run an additional series of ads in order to correct misleading information about the health benefits and risk of side effects associated with Yaz.