Many people have heard about Yaz, an oral contraceptive. Recently the pill has been marketed and came into popularity thanks to a multimillion dollar ad campaign that presented it as much more than that. The drug was presented as an option to help eliminate acne and premenstrual depression.
There’s just one slight problem. It puts women at a higher risk for developing blood clots and potentially strokes. This is largely caused by the way that the pills work. It’s no secret that taking a birth control pill that alters hormone levels can increase stroke risk and cause blood clots to develop in the legs and lungs. Estrogen plays a part in the coagulation of blood.
As the pharmaceutical companies learned this, they reduced the amount of estrogen that they put into their prescription contraceptives. Levels have dropped sharply since the 1960’s.
Thrombosis (the medical name for blood clots) is a serious risk that can cause a number of health problems. Not only could Yaz and Yasmin lead to blood clots and stroke, but it could also cause heart failure if the clot is serious enough. Having high levels of cholesterol or high blood pressure could just increase these risks.
Bayer, the company that manufactures and sells Yaz, is fighting the complaints against the blood clots caused by the drug. Yaz side effects go far beyond blood clots, though. There have been more than seventy Yaz lawsuits brought against Bayer to date, but they claim that they will fight every one vigorously. This is because Yaz is their big bread winner. It makes far more money than any other drug that they manufacture and sell. They debate the validity of studies that show that Yaz cause blood clots and point to studies that indicate that Yaz does not cause blood clots.
But they’re in a lot of trouble over other things related to Yaz, too, including deceptive marketing practices.
One debate that many have held is that it’s not the estrogen in the Yaz that is causing blood clots, but the levels of drospirenone, which is a progestin hormone. Many people feel that the level of estrogen in the drug is low enough that it shouldn’t lead to blood clots. They are now looking into whether or not the drospirenone is the cause of the blood clots and if modifications need to be made there.
The FDA approved Yaz for use as a contraceptive and treatment for ailments associated with menstruation in 2006. It was also approved to assist with mild acne. But the problem is that progestin is not clearly understood as it impacts that body. There are many studies that show it could be contributing to the blood clots, but Bayer likes to reference a European study that shows there is no increased risk of clotting for those taking birth control based around progestin when compared to alternative forms of birth control.
The bottom line is that Yaz may be causing blood clots in women and until the FDA makes a final decision use of the drug should be minimized to reduce the likely hood of developing blood clots.
