Yaz, Yasmin Settlements Hit Bayer Revenues

As an increasing number of agreements are being reached to settle Yasmin and Yaz birth control lawsuits, Bayer indicates that the costs associated with the litigation impacted the drug maker’s earnings by more than $1.5 billion last year.

According to an annual revenue report released this week by Bayer, the charges associated with the Yaz and Yasmin litigation includes more than $1 billion that the company has already paid to settle about 4,800 claims.

Even after settling those cases, Bayer continues to face about 10,000 Yaz lawsuits, Yasmin lawsuits, Ocella lawsuits and Gianvi lawsuits brought on behalf of about 13,600 former users of their popular drospirenone-based birth control pills.

The complaints allege that side effects of Yasmin and Yaz increase the risk of blood clot injuries, such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, the company noted in its report. The company said it is currently only settling those types of claims and currently intends to defend itself against lawsuits alleging gall bladder injuries and other injuries.

Yaz and Yasmin Litigation Impact on Bayer Earnings

In the annual report, Bayer indicated that it had a four percent increase in sales last year, bringing in $14.1 billion, but admitted that Yaz and Yasmin litigation had a significant impact on its earnings.

The popular birth control pills contain the fourth-generation progestin drospirenone, which has been linked to an increased risk of blood clots when compared to certain older birth control pills.  However, the initial warnings provided to women using Yaz and Yasmin failed to adequately reflect this increased risk, according to allegations raised by former users who have experienced problems.

In the federal court system, the Yaz and Yasmin litigation has been consolidated as part of an MDL before U.S. District Judge David R. Herndon in the Southern District of Illinois.  Last year, the Yaz and Yasmin MDL became the largest pending consolidated litigation in the United States, with the total number of cases surpassing the asbestos litigation, which was consolidated in 1991.