|
Yaz, Yazmin, and Ocella are combination birth control pills, which contain the synthetic hormones drospirenone (drsp) and ethinyl estradiol. The drugs were approved by the FDA in the spring of 2006 for pregnancy prevention, treatment of moderate acne, and for the treatment of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). Yaz, Yazmin, and Ocella are the only birth control pills on the market that contain drospirenone, a synthetic progesterone. Because of this, many people are beginning to link drospirenone with the life-threatening side effects associated with the drugs. These side effects include: blood clots, heart attacks, strokes, gall bladder disease, and pancreatitis.
In October 2008, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent a warning letter to Bayer Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of Yaz, concerning two of its Yaz birth control commercials. The FDA stated that these commercials were misleading because they stressed the benefits of the drug, while downplaying its negative side effects. In addition, the FDA was especially concerned with the distracting movements and music, which occur during the presentation of the drug’s severe side effects. These distractions made it increasingly difficult for an individual to process the seriousness of the life-threatening side effects mentioned.
Bayer Pharmaceuticals has failed to adequately warn its consumers and the medical community about the potential risks associated with Yaz. The company has willfully ignored the correlation between Yaz and potential life-threatening side effects. Above all, the company has aggressively marketed the drug, despite the risks mentioned above, in order to maximize corporate profits at the expense of their consumers’ well being and health.
|