Studies have shown that the ingredients contained in YAZ®, Yasmin® and Ocella® (including the synthetic progestin, drospirenone), have been linked to various forms of internal organ damage (including gallbladder damage), as well as deep vein thrombosis, or blood clots. These blood clots can form in the deep veins of the legs, pelvis, or arms causing extreme pain. It has been found that if the clot dislodges it can lead to sudden, and many times fatal, stroke, heart attack, myocardial infarction or pulmonary embolism.

Within the past month, a large number of cases against Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturers of YAZ® and Yasmin®, have been designated as Mass Tort or Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) cases. Mass Tort cases (in State courts) and MDL’s (in federal courts) are methods of organizing and managing cases involving the same or similar injuries and common defendants, in an expedient, cost-effective manner that better enables the plaintiffs to pursue their claims. The Mass Tort cases will be consolidated for case management and discovery purposes before Judge Moss in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The MDL cases will be consolidated for case management and discovery purposes before the Judge Herndon the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.

Stark & Stark’s Mass Tort/Pharmaceutical Litigation Team pursues claims throughout the nation against drug manufacturers, so they can be held accountable when the drugs they market are proven to be defective or cause catastrophic injury to the people who use them. If you feel you have experienced any side-effects from taking YAZ® or Yasmin® (or the generic brand, Ocella®, which is marketed and distributed by Barr Laboratories), you can contact Stark & Stark and speak to one of the Mass Tort/ Pharmaceutical Litigation attorneys, free of charge, who can help assess any claims that you might have against the YAZ®, Yasmin® or Ocella® manufacturers.