Suit claims birth control warning not enough

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Dozens of women claim in lawsuits filed in Indianapolis that they suffered strokes, gall bladder disease, and other serious health effects from the birth control pills Yaz and Yasmin.

The maker of those contraceptives is Bayer Pharmaceuticals.

Bayer claims the drugs not only prevent pregnancy, but also treat extreme irritability and moderate acne.

But plaintiffs say the drugs have serious side-effects. You may have seen the commercials featuring attractive young women talking about birth control pills with the hip youthful names.

Plaintiffs claim the drug's maker Bayer Pharmaceuticals marketed its allegedly potent birth control pill to young women, and young women suffered serious side effects like pulmonary embolisms, strokes, and gall bladder illness that necessitated the removal of the gall bladder.

"Gallbladder illness is a middle age disease. That's when you're going to have this. That's when you're going to have your gall bladder removed. We're seeing this in teenagers," said Will Riley, an attorney representing plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit.

24-Hour News 8 contacted Bayer corporate leaders by phone. An executive sent a statement saying "Bayer has received lawsuits regarding its Drospirenone-containing contraceptives. The company is in the process of gathering information on these cases, but the complaints we have reviewed so far pertain to side effects that are warned about in the labeling of all oral contraceptives, including ours. Bayer will defend itself vigorously against these lawsuits.”

The lawsuit claims Bayer's warning wasn't enough. It says the drugs Yaz and Yasmin contain a more potent form of one of the active ingredients in contraceptives causing "additional heath risks not associated with other birth control pills."

"That's going to be where this litigation centers around - what they knew, what they concealed from the FDA, and what they concealed from the consumers," said Riley.

Attorneys at the Indianapolis firm Price, Waicukauski, & Riley represent 47 plaintiffs and many more suits have been filed across the country. They say resolution of the matter will not happen quickly. Attorneys believe it could take as long as five years to litigate.