Yaz On Trial

Yaz: Little Pill, Big Profit

Mike Danko — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:38:02 -0800

Even though thousands of women have suffered severe injuries after taking Yaz and hundreds of lawsuits have already been filed, Bayer Pharmaceuticals is still airing commercials and running full page ads touting Yaz as the #1 most dispensed oral contraceptive in the U.S. with over 26 million prescriptions filled as of December 2009.

The number #1 most dispensed oral contraceptive in the U.S. – 26 million prescriptions – these things mean money, big money. The New York Times reported that the Yaz and Yasmin franchise had worldwide sales of about $1.8 billion in 2008. That same New York Times article has a graph showing the top-selling oral contraceptives between January and June 2009, which includes Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella in the top five. In fact, Bayer itself has a list of its top 20 best-selling products in 2009, and the Yaz and Yasmin products are number one on that list.

But Bayer wasn’t the only one to cash in on the success of these pills. Teva Pharmaceuticals who owns Barr Laboratories which distributes Ocella, the generic version of Yasmin, has made serious profits off this pill. In this press release, Teva said Ocella was launched in July 2008, and sales for that year were $170.2 million. Just this month Teva reported that its sales in North America for the fourth quarter had increased 35% compared with the fourth quarter of last year and that these sales benefited from the launch of the generic version of Yasmin.

So it seems like it’s a pretty simple equation for these pharmaceutical companies: little pill = big profit.

Yaz in the News Again

Samantha Elboim — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:00:18 -0800

Claudia Coffey of Fox 5 in Washington D.C. just reported on a story about another young woman, Jessica, who suffered from a blood clot in her leg after taking Yaz. Jessica says that her leg swelled up about twice its normal size and started turning purple. She was in the ICU for three days and in the hospital for six days. The story also mentions the FDA warning letter for Yaz regarding possible quality control problems in a factory in Germany. (You may remember that this is not the first time the FDA has warned the makers of Yaz.) Ms. Coffey also reported that the FDA sent her an email confirming that they are aware of adverse event reports with Yaz, but that they are unable to disclose whether specific label negotiations to the medication are being conducted.

Watch the Fox 5 news story: Locals Join Lawsuit Against Bayer's Yaz

Tennessee College Student Suffers Pulmonary Embolism after taking Yaz

Kristine Meredith — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:14:34 -0800

I just read a story that aired in Tennessee on NewsChannel 5 about a woman named Leah. Leah was a twenty year old student at Tennessee Tech and on her way to becoming a nurse when, last January, her college roommate discovered her passed out in the shower. Leah’s roommate called 911 and told them that she was pale and breathing heavily. Leah woke up and spoke to her mom over the phone, telling her that “she was scared, and that she was tingling all over.” Less than an hour later, Leah passed away.

Ultimately, it was discovered that Leah died of a pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in her lung). When Leah’s family asked how this could have happened to a healthy twenty year old woman, an emergency room doctor informed them that the birth control pill Leah started taking six months before, Yaz, could have caused the blood clot.

Leah’s family is devastated by the loss of their daughter. "She didn't have to die. She didn't have to die because of a pill," said Leah’s mother.

Not wanting her daughter’s death to have occurred in vain, Leah’s mother is determined to warn others about the drug and the serious potential side effects of taking Yaz.

A Closer Look at the Yaz Commercials and Marketing Campaign

Samantha Elboim — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:19:56 -0800

I recently stumbled across a story about Yaz describing another one of its clever advertising campaigns. Bayer Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of Yaz, hired Lo Bosworth, a young actress on the popular MTV reality show "the Hills" to be the new spokesperson for Yaz in Canada. The story explains that last year the Hills star spent time in "Toronto and then Vancouver doing media interviews, where she focused on the fact that Yaz can lead to fewer symptoms like headaches and cramps during that time of the month."

This isn't the first time Bayer has attempted to promote Yaz as a treatment for "time of the month" symptoms, but it is something that Yaz has come under fire for in the United States previously. In October 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent a Warning Letter to Bayer stating that a number of Yaz commercials “encourage[d] use of YAZ in circumstances other than those in which the drug has been approved, over-promise[d] the benefits and minimize[d] the risks associated with YAZ.” The FDA, in its 2008 Yaz warning letter, found that the Yaz commercials made it seem as though the drug could treat PMS symptoms like cramps and headaches, when Yaz was only approved to treat the more severe symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). The FDA also took issue with the fact that Yaz was being advertised as a way to "keep skin clear," suggesting that Yaz could be used to treat all forms of acne, when the FDA had only approved its use to treat moderate acne specifically. As a result of the FDA's findings, Bayer had to run a $20 million advertising campaign to clarify the real uses and possible side effects of Yaz.

Not long after receiving the FDA Warning Letter, Bayer hired Lo Bosworth as a Yaz spokesperson for its marketing campaign in Canada, where the FDA has no jurisdiction. The video below, based off of Bayer’s Canadian press release about Yaz, touts a whole laundry list of "benefits" that Yaz purportedly offers. You have to wonder whether these statements would pass muster with FDA, or whether the FDA would find them to be misleading just as it did with some of the US commercials.

As the Yaz spokesperson, Bosworth stated that “I have to be in control of my life at all times – especially my health. I need to make sure I’m taking care of myself..." For most women, staying in control of their lives and health involves knowing the real risks and uses of a birth control pill before they decide to take it.

Yaz and Potassium

Dylan Hughes — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:46:57 -0800

Potassium – most of us probably know that we can get potassium from eating certain foods like bananas and oranges, but for those of us whose last biology class was more than a few years back, we may forget what potassium actually does in the body. Potassium is mineral that helps the kidneys function normally and it is also an electrolyte. An electrolyte is a substance that conducts electricity in the body, along with sodium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium. Potassium is crucial for your heart to function properly, and maintaining a healthy level of potassium is important to your health.

So how does this relate to Yaz? The Yaz birth control pill, along with Yasmin and Ocella, contains the synthetic progestin known as drospirenone, which can increase potassium levels in the blood. The problem is that increased potassium levels can lead to a potentially dangerous condition known as hyperkalemia. Possible complications from hyperkalemia include:

Arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms)
Cardiac arrest
Changes in nerve and muscle (neuromuscular) control

Women with conditions such as kidney, liver or adrenal disease should not take Yaz because it can cause serious heart or health problems, including hyperkalemia. Other medications can also increase potassium levels in the blood, which could be very dangerous if taken in conjunction with Yaz.

As the FDA said in its 2003 Warning Letter to Bayer (the manufacturers of Yasmin), “Women taking Yasmin must be concerned about drug interactions that will increase potassium, in addition to the drug interactions common to all COCs [oral contraceptives]. Therefore, these women and their healthcare providers must weigh Yasmin's additional health risks when considering Yasmin over COCs [oral contraceptives] without drospirenone.”

Yaz's impact on women's lives

Samantha Elboim — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:09:05 -0800

There are now over 400 lawsuits pending against the makers of Yaz, and it is anticipated that thousands more will be filed in the future. Behind each of these lawsuits is a story of a woman who suffered a serious injury after taking Yaz, many of whom will be living with the side effects of their injuries for the rest of their lives.

Bayer Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of Yaz, would have a hard time denying that California Yaz user Susan Galinis’s life has changed forever. Susan, the mother of twins, suffered a stroke one month after she began taking Yaz. The stroke caused her permanent and severe brain damage, fundamentally changing her life and the lives of her family forever. There is also Katie, a Pennsylvania Yaz user who was just 15 years old when she suffered a pulmonary embolism while taking Yaz. Katie was forced to undergo extensive surgery when doctors found that she had two blood clots, one in each pulmonary artery. Another woman, Ohio Yaz user Anne Marie Eakins also developed blood clots in both lungs after taking Yaz, resulting in her losing partial use of her right lung. Anne, like many of the other women we have spoken with, asked her doctor about Yaz after seeing the commercials. “To be perfectly honest,” she said, “ I asked my doctor about Yaz because I had seen the commercial and it mentioned helping control your period symptoms and acne, which was very attractive to me… I didn’t think it was going to be worse than any other pill.”

Then there are the thousands of women who have suffered gallbladder problems, such as one young woman who at just 22 years old when she began suffering gallbladder attacks while taking Yaz. She, like many Yaz users, was young, healthy and had no prior or family history of gallbladder problems; yet, after taking Yaz, she developed gallbladder attacks so severe that she had to undergo surgery to have her gallbladder removed.

These stories are just glimpses of the impact Yaz has had on women's lives. As more lawsuits are filed and the word spreads, more women’s stories will be heard.

What is happening with the Yaz and Yasmin Federal Lawsuits in the MDL?

A.J. De Bartolomeo — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:44:21 -0800

Since Judge Herndon appointed the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for the Yaz and Yasmin Multi-District Litigation (MDL) the main focus has been case organization, specifically what procedures are needed for efficient case management.

To keep this matter from getting too cluttered and costly, Judge Herndon and those of us on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee and defense counsel have focused on the case management and organizational issues early on, which we hope will make everything run more smoothly down the road in the litigation. At the December status conference, we discussed details such as the protocol for protecting confidential information in the case, how new complaints filed on behalf of injured women and their families will be organized, and what additional procedures may be required since Bayer is a foreign company. At the close of the conference we were also introduced to Ms. Debra Ward, the Judge’s new law clerk specifically assigned to the Yaz and Yasmin MDL proceeding. Ms. Ward will be assisting Judge Herndon in organizing the case going forward.

In summary, the Court is primarily in organizational mode at this time. As Judge Herndon said during the December status conference, “the Court would like this case to move along efficiently and effectively. Both sides are working diligent[ly] and in good faith to move this litigation at a fast pace and court is encouraged by that. [The] Court has had to intervene very little.”

The next status conference in the case is March 4, 2010.

Treating Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Dylan Hughes — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:29:59 -0800

Many of our clients have suffered blood clot injuries after taking Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella. One of the most serious blood clot injuries is “deep vein thrombosis” – also known as “DVT” – which is when a blood clot forms in the veins, usually the legs. If not treated in time, a DVT can lead to other serious health problems such as a pulmonary embolism or a stroke. Part of the controversy surrounding Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella is that recent medical studies have found that the synthetic hormone contained in these birth control pills known as drospirenone is associated with a significantly higher risk of patients developing DVT and other related health problems.

Recently Baltimore’s local NBC news station ran a story about how hospitals and doctors are treating people who have been diagnosed with a DVT or related injuries:

NBC Baltimore (WBAL): Treating Deep Vein Thrombosis

Yaz Attorney A.J. De Bartolomeo answers questions about Yaz on Trial

Samantha Elboim — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:46:24 -0800

Ever wonder why we started our blog? Find out why!

Yaz on Trial author and Girard Gibbs' Partner A.J. De Bartolomeo was recently interviewed about blogging, the lawsuits against the makers of Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella, and her recent appointment to the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee in the Yaz and Yasmin Multi-District Litigation. Here's an excerpt from the interview:

Lisa Kennelly: Why did you decide to start a blog?

A.J. De Bartolomeo: Earlier this year we were contacted by a mother of 3-year old twins who had suffered a stroke and permanent brain damage after taking the birth control pill Yaz (which incidentally is the top-selling birth control pill sold in the U.S.). We began investigating her claims further and soon learned that she was not alone and that many women had suffered severe health side effects after taking the birth control pills Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella. The injuries ranged from strokes to blood clots to gallbladder disease and many other serious health problems. When we spoke to these women and their families they repeatedly questioned why they hadn't heard about these health risks and wanted to know what was going on with the lawsuits against the makers of Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella.

Based on those conversations, my co-counsel, Mike Danko and I decided to start our blog, Yaz on Trial. We felt that something was needed to get the word out to women and educate people about the health risks associated with these drugs and a blog seemed a great way to do that. We recognize that mass litigation, like the Yaz and Yasmin lawsuits, can be very complicated and difficult to understand, so we wanted to create an outlet for women and their families to get a clear understanding of how the litigation is playing out. One thing led to another and Yaz on Trial was born.

Lisa Kennelly: What has been most rewarding about blogging?

A.J. De Bartolomeo: The most rewarding thing about blogging is having the opportunity to connect to people through the blog itself. We speak to women every day who have questions about the litigation against the makers of Yaz and Yasmin, and we have found that typically when one person has a question, many others have the same question as well. The blog is a great way to help answer some of those questions and keep people informed about the litigation. A good example is our post about the Yasmin and Yaz Multi-District litigation. Several people had questions about what Multi-District Litigation was and found that post very helpful.

Yaz/Yasmin Lawsuits and a "Mass Tort"

A.J. De Bartolomeo — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:50:46 -0800

We speak with women on a daily basis who want to know more about what’s going on with the Yaz and Yasmin lawsuits. Many have heard that it’s a type of lawsuit known as a "mass tort." Naturally, the next question we hear is “so what is a mass tort?”

A mass tort typically involves multiple personal injury cases where the victims are injured in a similar way by a specific product, drug, or event. Because all of the victims’ claims typically share common legal or factual questions, the courts recognize that sometimes it makes more sense for the common questions for all the lawsuits to be resolved by a single judge in one court. Once the common questions are resolved, the individual cases are sent back to the individual courts for trial.

I took a look online for more information about Mass Tort cases and found some interesting info. A blog dedicated entirely to Mass Tort Litigation is talking about the Yaz and Yasmin lawsuits. A few months ago, Elizabeth Chamblee Burch, who is one of the authors of the blog and an Assistant Professor of Law at Florida State University College of Law, wrote that the Yaz and Yasmin lawsuits might be centralized. This is because lawsuits that involve hundreds of victims can become really complicated and disorganized when they proceed on an individual basis (imagine hundreds of cases brought against the same companies in all different courts spread throughout the whole country); centralizing these cases helps to prevent this. Just as Ms. Burch predicted, the federal lawsuits against Yaz and Yasmin were centralized and are now part of a Multi-District Litigation.

So here's the basic breakdown: if a large number of people suffer similar injuries after using a common product, then frequently those individuals’ legal claims many be coordinated into a mass tort lawsuit, which is usually centralized in one court with one judge in order to resolve any common questions.

Hope that helps sort out some of the confusion, but feel free to ask or comment if there are any other questions.

The Word Spreads About Yaz and Yasmin Lawsuits

Samantha Elboim — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:03:24 -0800

The press continues to get the word out about the potential side effects of the birth control pills Yaz and Yasmin. Yesterday, a California consumer protection group called The Civil Justice Research Project reported on the status of the litigation and the claims brought by women and their families who have suffered after taking Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella. The group reported that some women have suffered strokes, pulmonary emboli and heart attacks after taking these birth control pills.

In addition to the health concerns, the group also reported on Bayer’s “aggressive advertising,” noting that the FDA found that some of the Yaz commercials were misleading, because they undersold the risks of the drug while at the same time overstating its benefits. Although the article acknowledged that Bayer ran a multi-million dollar corrective ad campaign, it also explains that some find those corrective ads to be “too confusing and jargon-filled to be effective.”

Two of the authors of this blog, Yaz attorneys A.J. De Bartolomeo and Mike Danko, and were also mentioned in the article for their work representing injured women in the Yaz and Yasmin lawsuits. Articles like this one really help spread the word about the potential side effects of Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella, and keep people informed about what’s happening with the lawsuits.

Bayer to Turn Over Yaz Documents

Mike Danko — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:03:09 -0800

We appeared before Judge Herndon in East Saint Louis last week for the first hearing in the Yaz and Yasmin cases. This was the Judge's opportunity to meet some of the Yaz lawyers who have not appeared in his court before and to make sure that the cases are moving forward to resolution as quickly and smoothly as is possible given the circumstances.

Before the hearing, Bayer agreed to turn over many of its documents pertaining to the drugs' development and testing. Bayer has told us to expect to receive about a million pages of documents within the next few weeks, and another 30 million pages or more in the months to come.

We expect to begin organizing and analyzing the documents almost immediately upon receiving them. We anticipate that many of the documents will concern drospirenone, the key ingredient in Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella. We will be searching the documents for evidence of what Bayer knew about the dangers of drospirenone and when.

Next hearing before Judge Herndon: December 17.

Yaz on Trial's own A.J. De Bartolomeo appointed to Plaintiffs' Steering Committee in Yaz/Yasmin MDL

Dylan Hughes — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:48:00 -0800

Yaz lawsuit news! Ms. A.J. De Bartolomeo, one of the authors of this blog and a partner at Girard Gibbs LLP, was appointed today to the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in the Yasmin/Yaz MultiDistrict Litigation (MDL). As one of only two female attorneys to be appointed to the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, we know she’ll do a great job representing women across the country.

Also, a little FYI for those of you out there who may not know what a “Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee” is: a Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, or PSC (lawyers love acronyms), is typically formed in a complex MDL case where many similar cases are consolidated into one court to be heard before one judge. Because there are so many individual Yaz cases, in order to keep the courtroom from getting packed full with dozens of lawyers, the court selects a small committee of Yaz attorneys to direct the litigation as it moves forward. The judge handling the Yaz cases has selected A.J. as one of the attorneys to serve on that small committee and to make sure that the interests of the Yaz victims are properly protected.

Potential Side Effects of Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella: Stroke

Dylan Hughes — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:19:20 -0800

One of our clients, Susan Galinis, suffered a stroke after taking Yaz, and she is not alone. There are now multiple lawsuits filed by women and their families who suffered strokes after taking the birth control pills Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella.

Although we sometimes hear about strokes in the news, many people don't know what a stroke really is. The vast majority of strokes are ischemic strokes, which occurs when the flow of blood to a part of the brain is interrupted or seriously reduced. This prevents oxygen and necessarily nutrients from getting to the brain causing brain cells to die, leading to a loss of brain function in the affected areas.

This disturbance in blood flow can be caused by obstruction of a blood vessel due to a blood clot. Medical studies have found that the hormone used in Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella known as drospirenone or drsp was associated with a substantially higher risk of venous thrombosis, a medical term for blood clots in the veins.

After having a stroke many women experience life altering side-effects such as loss of mobility and memory, as well as difficulty with speech and communication.

Potential Side Effects of Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella: Pulmonary Embolism

Dylan Hughes — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:29:53 -0800

We've spoken to many women who have developed blood clots after taking Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella. Some of these women have been diagnosed with deep venous thrombosis or DVT, a medical term for blood clots found in the veins and most commonly in the legs. Other women have been diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism which means there is a blood clot or many clots blocking the lungs. Because a pulmonary embolism almost always occurs in conjunction with deep vein thrombosis, some doctors refer to the two conditions together as venous thromboembolism (VTE).

A pulmonary embolism or PE is when there is a blockage of the main arteries of the lungs. A PE can occur when a blood clot travels through the bloodstream and creates a blockage in the pulmonary artery. It's unusual to experience a solitary pulmonary embolism. In most cases, multiple clots are involved. The lung tissue served by each blocked artery is robbed of fuel and can die, which makes it more difficult for your lungs to provide oxygen to the rest of your body.

Immediate symptoms can range from shortness of breath, chest pain and coughing up blood, to collapse and even death. The Mayo Clinic reports that about one-third of people with an undiagnosed and untreated pulmonary embolism don't survive. When the condition is diagnosed and treated promptly, however, that number drops dramatically. Please contact your doctor immediately if you experience unexplained shortness of breath, chest pain or a cough that produces bloody sputum.

Potential Side Effects of Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella: Blood Clots

Dylan Hughes — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:35:26 -0800

Many women are reporting that they developed blood clots after taking Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella. For those of you who may not know what a blood clot is, a blood clot is caused when blood hardens (coagulates) within a blood vessel in the body or in the heart. The problem is that blood clots can become dangerous, even life-threatening, if not treated immediately.

Part of the controversy surrounding Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella is that recent medical studies have found that drospirenone or drsp, the synthetic hormone in these birth control pills, is associated with a significantly higher risk of venous thrombosis (blood clots in the veins).

There are two main types of blood clot complications:

"Thrombosis" involves a clot that forms in a blood vessel and creates a blockage, obstructing the blood flow. A common form of this is known as deep venous thrombosis or DVT, when a blood clot occurs in the veins, usually in the legs.

"Embolism" involves a blood clot that forms in one part of the body, then frees itself and travels through the blood stream until it ends up getting stuck in a blood vessel in another part of the body, such as the lungs, heart, or brain.

Blood clots can cause other life-threatening health complications such as a Pulmonary Embolism or Stroke.

Speaking Up about Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella

Dylan Hughes — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:46:49 -0800

One of the most impressive things we’ve found while learning more about Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella, are the number of women who are talking about their experiences with these birth control pills. In spite of everything these women and their families have been through, they are getting out there, speaking out on forums, blogs and social networking websites to let other women know about their experiences on Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella and some of the side effects they have suffered. Many of these women have experienced blood clots, strokes, pulmonary emboli, gallbladder problems and other serious health complications.

Check out some of these forums:

Yasmin Survivors Forum, Facebook: I am a Yaz Survivor, Yaz Forum

Women aren’t just talking about their experiences – they are taking action. Dozens of lawsuits have been filed on behalf of women who suffered severe side-effects after taking Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella, and these women plan on holding the makers of these drugs accountable.

Yaz chic advertising; not so chic side effects

Samantha Elboim — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:29:44 -0800

When I first learned that Yaz was the top selling birth control pill in the country I thought about what made it so popular. Of course many of us remember the multimillion dollar commercials, but what also stuck out in my mind was an old Yaz promotion by Bayer Pharmaceuticals called “The YAZ: Step Up and Go Beyond Contest” with Project Runway Judge and Marie Claire fashion director Nina Garcia.

As Garcia described it, “We're taking an iconic accessory—the birth control case—and asking aspiring designers to take a shot at redesigning it into a chic, more sophisticated carrying case that they could slip into their purses." Contest winners were announced during Fashion Week in fall 2008 and the contest winner received a $10,000 prize to enroll in design classes or purchase of special design materials and software, courtesy of Bayer HealthCare, Garcia, and Step Up Women's Network.

It’s a great idea and innovative advertising – but the problem is that Yaz isn’t just something stylish to carry around – it’s a drug – a medication that could have potentially dangerous side effects, including strokes, pulmonary embolisms, deep vein thrombosis, and gall bladder disease. I’ve spoken to many women who have suffered these side effects needlessly. Bayer’s advertising is very clever, but it doesn’t do enough to let women know about the risks of Yaz. Women have a right to know not just what they are putting in their purses, but what they are putting in their bodies.

DRSP: Yaz's Unique Ingredient

Mike Danko — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:13:14 -0800

All of the hormones that go into Yaz and Yasmin are manufactured in a laboratory. In that respect, the drugs are no different than any other birth control pill. What makes Yaz and Yasmin so unique is that they contain the hormone drospirenone, or "DRSP." DRSP, which has never before been used in a birth control pill, is "synthetic." A synthetic hormone is one formulated to be molecularly similar to a hormone found in the human body, but not "bio-identical" to it.

DRSP was designed to be molecularly similar to the naturally occuring human hormone progesterone. DRSP is no more effective at its job than either progesterone or one of the man-made hormones in other birth control pills that are bio-identical to progesterone. However, DRSP is more dangerous and more frequently causes serious side effects, including clotting.

Progesterone Drospirenone (DRSP)

Why would Bayer use a synthetic hormone if it is more dangerous, but no more effective, than an easily manufactured bio-identical hormone? The short answer is money. A drug company can't patent a bio-identical hormone, since is an exact copy of what nature produces. Only a synthetic hormone can be patented. And only with a patent can a drug company protect the market share its advertising campaign wins over.

No synthetic hormone means no patent. No patent means no huge profits.

Yaz Lawsuits Mount

Kristine Meredith — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:30:18 -0800

The San Francisco Daily Journal ran a front-page story on the Yaz cases recently, and by doing so helped to get the word out about the dangers of Yaz and Yasmin.

Susan Galinis discussed her stroke and the effect it has had on her family. Mike Danko was quoted concerning the latest on the Yaz lawsuits generally, and Galinis' lawsuit in particular. Other Yaz lawyers were interviewed as well.

Bayer refused to comment on Susan's lawsuit.