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Pennsylvania Poised to be Center of State Court Yaz(R) Yasmin(R) Ocella(R) Birth Control Litigation

Posted on: Thursday, 17 September 2009, 11:16 CDT

Philadelphia Court Establishes Mass Tort Program for Injury and Death Cases

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Yesterday, Judge Sandra Mazer Moss, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, consolidated all lawsuits filed in Philadelphia that involve Bayer's popular birth control pills, commonly known as Yaz(R) or Yasmin(R). Philadelphia is likely to be the country's center for state court litigation involving this widely used birth control pill.

The lawsuits allege that Yaz(R) and Yasmin(R) have risks beyond those of traditional birth control pills, because they contain DRSP (drospirenone), and that Bayer over-promoted the drug without disclosing risks. Bayer was warned by the FDA, in the fall of 2008, that Bayer's television ads were misleading and were not disclosing these additional risks.

DRSP is a hormone that can increase the body's potassium levels and raise the risk of other severe health problems for women who have kidney or cardiovascular conditions.

The lawsuits allege that women who have taken the drug to prevent pregnancy or to treat premenstrual disorder or acne may have suffered severe side effects, including blood clots, strokes, heart attacks, gallbladder disease, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolisms and even sudden death.

Two days ago, the FDA released a letter warning Bayer about problems that the FDA found, in a March 2009 inspection, in the Berghamen, Germany plant where Bayer manufactures the Yaz(R)/Yasmin(R) birth control pills that it sells in the United States.

This letter said that the inspection "revealed significant deviations from U.S. current good manufacturing practices (CGMP) in the manufacture of non-sterile APIs [active pharmaceutical ingredients]."

Judge Moss has appointed three Pennsylvania lawyers as Liaison Counsel for the plaintiffs: Michael M. Weinkowitz of Levin, Fishbein, Sedran & Berman, Philadelphia; Daniel N. Gallucci of RodaNast, P.C., Lancaster; and Laura Feldman of Feldman & Pinto, Philadelphia.

CONTACT: Michael M. Weinkowitz, MWeinkowitz@lfsblaw.com, +1-215-592-1500, Daniel N. Gallucci, dgallucci@rodanast.com, +1-717-892-3000, Laura Feldman Lfeldman@feldmanpinto.com, +1-215-546-2604

SOURCE RodaNast, P.C.

Source: PR Newswire

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