A main component of the new database is its section on asbestos and mesothelioma lawsuits. Mesothelioma is a deadly form of cancer that can affect the lining of the heart, chest or abdomen. The disease is caused by exposure to asbestos—a naturally-occurring mineral that was once widely used for insulation or heat-protection until its carcinogenic properties were widely known. Many workers in industries such as mining, construction, maritime shipping or manufacturing have developed mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease from being exposed to asbestos dust in the on the job.

The database will also contain documents related to Duragesic or fentanyl cases. The Duragesic pain patch—which is sold generically as fentanyl—has been recalled several times due to manufacturing problems that could cause a fatal overdose. Because fentanyl gel is 80 times more powerful than morphine, direct skin contact with even a small amount of gel can be fatal. As of 2005, more than 120 deaths had been linked to an overdose caused by a fentanyl or Duragesic patch.

Fleet Phospho-soda documents are another important component of the new database. The C.B. Fleet Co. recalled its “Fleet Phospho-soda” and “Fleet Phospho-soda EZ-Prep Bowel Cleansing System” products in December 2008 due to an association with a type of kidney damage. This condition—known as acute phosphate nephropathy—can cause irreversible damage to the kidneys which may require transplant surgery.

Yasmin was first sold in the United States in 2001, and was followed five years later by Yaz. Ocella, a generic version of Yasmin, was put on sale in 2008. All three pills contain a hormone known as drospirenone (DRSP). In addition to its contraceptive effects, DRSP was designed to limit acne symptoms and to prevent weight gain and bloating during menstruation.

But according to two studies published by the British Medical Journal, women taking birth control pills containing DRSP such as Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella are twice as likely to suffer blood clots as those taking another popular type of birth control pill. This increased blood clot risk could put women who take Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella in danger of other serious cardiovascular side effects, including heart attack, stroke, pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis.

Since 2004, the Food and Drug Administration has received reports of at least 50 deaths among users of Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella from cardiovascular or other conditions. Hundreds of additional women have suffered serious and debilitating injuries after using these birth control pills.

Users of Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella may also be at risk of other serious conditions, including gallbladder disease, renal failure, liver failure or pancreatitis. In some cases, women who took these birth control pills were forced to undergo gallbladder removal surgery, kidney transplants or other procedures in order to treat their injuries.

In 2008, the Food and Drug Administration sent a warning letter to Bayer Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of Yaz, in response to a “false and misleading” television ad campaign for the birth control pills. The agency stated that Yaz TV ads promoted the drug for conditions which it had not been approved to treat while understating the risk of side effects faced by patients. Bayer was later forced to air a $20 million corrective ad campaign to clarify the false information in the original ads.

More than 200 women or their loved ones have filed lawsuits against the manufacturers of Yaz and Yasmin seeking compensation for injuries suffered after using the birth control pills. These lawsuits have alleged that the manufacturers of Yaz and Yasmin failed to warn patients about the increased side effects risk of birth control pills containing DRSP compared to other products.

If you have used Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella and have suffered blood clots, stroke, heart attack, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, gallbladder disease or kidney or liver problems, contact the law office of Hissey Kientz, LLP to learn more about your legal rights. You can reach us by calling our toll-free hotline at 1-866-275-4454, or by e-mail at info@hkllp.com.

In addition to the upcoming tests in El Paso, Hissey Kientz is also scheduling asbestos testing sessions in Baytown, TX and Bay City, TX to be held in February 2010. The firm hopes to hold other testing sessions in other selected major cities in Texas during March 2010, and may schedule additional testing dates in Florida or other states later this year.

Individuals who have not been tested within the past year and who were exposed to asbestos for a period of five years anytime prior to 1982 may be eligible for testing. For those who are unable to attend the scheduled testing sessions in El Paso or at another location, Hissey Kientz will issue a voucher that can be redeemed at your convenience for asbestos testing at a medical clinic near you.

At the testing sessions, medical staff will perform a simple chest X-ray, which is examined by a specialist to look for the presence of asbestos fibers. If the X-ray is positive for an asbestos-related disease, a pulmonary function test will be performed to determine how your exposure may have affected your breathing. These tests will help to perform a diagnosis and determine if we may be able to file a claim on your behalf relating to asbestos exposure.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was once commonly used in construction and manufacturing for its heat-resistant properties. Asbestos has been used in a wide variety of commercial and industrial products over the last century, as well as in the construction of many buildings and homes.

Numerous studies have confirmed that exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma—a deadly cancer of the heart, lungs or abdomen—and other asbestos diseases. Individuals who have been exposed to asbestos may also be at an increased risk of lung cancer, throat cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer, asbestosis or pleural diseases.

Workers who may have been exposed to asbestos on the job include industrial workers (steelworkers, refinery or chemical workers, mill workers, boilermakers, machinists, millwrights), construction workers (carpenters, pipefitters, insulators, drywallers, welders, laborers, operators), railroad workers, shipyard workers and veterans of the U.S. Navy or Merchant Marines.

To learn if you may be eligible to undergo asbestos testing at no out-of-pocket expense to you, contact Hissey Kientz by calling toll-free at 1-866-275-4454.

Yasmin, which contains the hormone drospirenone, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2001. Yaz, which also contains drospirenone, was approved by the FDA in 2006.

One of the recent lawsuits alleges that a Maryland woman developed serious side effects—including pneumonia and a pulmonary embolism—after taking Yasmin. The lawsuits also allege that Bayer falsely maintained that Yaz and Yasmin had been “tested and found to be safe.”

According to a statement by the FDA in July 2009, the agency is currently investigating Yaz and Yasmin after receiving reports of side effects and deaths linked to Yasmin. A lawsuit filed this year in Wisconsin states that the FDA has received at least 50 reports of deaths among Yaz or Yasmin patients.

In addition, one of the hormones in Yaz and Yasmin—known as drospirenone, or DRSP—has been linked to an increased risk of kidney injury or gallbladder problems. DRSP is a diuretic—a chemical that helps to eliminate excess fluid from the body—and was added to Yaz and Yasmin in order to reduce bloating and weight gain during menstruation. However, DRSP can also cause unintended changes in the body’s chemistry that can lead to serious and potentially deadly health problems, including severe injury to the gallbladder requiring removal by invasive explant surgery.

“While DRSP was added to Yaz and Yasmin in order to limit the severity of menstrual symptoms, the results of doing so have been disastrous,” says attorney Kristin Giaquinta Schoen of Hissey Kientz, LLP. “Evidence suggests that DRSP causes an unnecessary risk of kidney or gallbladder problems. Many women who have taken Yaz or Yasmin have suffered serious kidney damage or required surgery to remove their gallbladder.”

Based on reports to the Food and Drug Administration of side effects among birth control pill users, women taking Yaz and Yasmin were significantly more likely to have suffered deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolisms, strokes, heart attacks, gallbladder problems or death compared with women taking a safer form of birth control pill, Ortho Tri-Cyclen.

In October 2008, the FDA forced the manufacturer of Yaz, Bayer Pharmaceuticals, to stop airing a series of advertisements which the agency said mislead women about the safety and health benefits of the drug. In a warning letter sent to the Bayer, the FDA said that these ads promoted the use of Yaz for conditions which it was never approved by the FDA to treat—such as serious acne or PMS—while downplaying the risk of serious side effects associated with the drug. The FDA later forced Bayer to air a series of advertisements to correct the misleading information the company provided to the public in the original commercials.

“In addition to selling a drug that had a significantly increased risk of stroke, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, heart attack and death, Bayer shockingly promoted Yaz to women for conditions it was not approved to treat knowing full well that women using their product could face an increased risk of potentially fatal side effects,” says Schoen. “Many women were exposed to life-threatening health risks after they were prescribed Yaz solely to treat acne or PMS, despite the fact that there are safer and more effective drugs to treat these conditions. There is simply no reason why a woman should take birth control pills that could double her risk of blood clots to get rid of a few pimples.”