New Research Prompts Bayer to update YAZ and Yasmin labels in U.S.
Bayer has announced that it will add new safety information to the labels of its YAZ and Yasmin contraceptives, sold in the United States. The update follows the publication of two studies of more than 120,000 women taking oral contraceptives in the U.S. and in Europe. The modified label will state that women taking YAZ and Yasmin have a comparable risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE) to those taking other combination oral contraceptives. However, because the risk of VTE varies among types, or generations of birth control pills, Bayer's revised warning provides no meaningful information to women about the actual risk of VTE from Yasmin or YAZ. Bayer is currently facing more than 1000 lawsuits in the United States, brought by women who allege YAZ and Yasmin caused them to suffer a variety of serious health problems including, blood clots, heart attacks, strokes and gallbladder disease amongst others.
