Thursday, June 9, 2011

FDA to Investigate Birth-Control Pills for Safety

The Food and Drug Administration is conducting a safety review of birth-control pills containing drospirenone, a type of female sex hormone used in some brands of birth-control pills.  The agency wants to determine if pills containing drospirenone increases the risk of blood clots beyond that of other birth-control pills.

According to recent studies published by the British Medical Journal, women taking birth-control pills containing drospirenone are two to three times more likely than women taking birth-control pills containing the hormone levonorgestrel to develop blood clots.  The blood clots, known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), form inside a vein usually in the lower leg or thigh, but can break loose and travel to other areas of the body such as the lungs.  Once the blood clots are in the lungs, they are called a pulmonary embolism (PE).

Results from an FDA study involving more than 800,000 U.S. women are expected to be released later this summer.  The study analyzes the association of blood clots with hormonal contraception.  In addition, the FDA says it is evaluating conflicting results from prior studies and will look at all currently available information to fully assess the risks and benefits of drospirenone-containing birth-control pills.

The hormone drospirenone is used in the Bayer AG birth-control pills Yaz and Yazmin as well as other types of birth-control pills.

The attorneys at Messa & Associates are experienced at handling cases involving pharmaceutical and drug product injuries.  Our skilled team of attorneys has successfully pursued litigation and obtained verdicts and settlements for victims of pharmaceutical injuries.  If you or a loved one is has suffered serious injuries as a result of taking a birth-control pill containing the hormone drospirenone, please contact us at 1-877-MessaLaw.

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