FDA Warnings to the Makers of Yaz and Yasmin
Misleading Yasmin and Yaz Ads and Commercials the Subject of FDA Warning Letters
Yaz and Yasmin are two of the most popular and best-selling birth control pills in the United States. However, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) found that several ads and commercials within the Yaz and Yasmin marketing campaigns used misleading advertising which minimized the side effects involved with taking these birth control pills and portrayed them as safer than they have been proven to be.
The FDA sent the manufacturers three warning letters for downplaying the risks of Yaz and overstating the benefits of the birth control pill.
Yasmin Warning Letter: "Yasmin's Additional Health Risks"
The first FDA warning letter came in 2003. The 2003 FDA Yasmin warning letter found that the Yasmin ad “misleadingly represents or suggests that Yasmin is safer than has been demonstrated by substantial evidence or substantial clinical experience.” The FDA also noted that "women and their healthcare providers must weigh Yasmin's additional health risks when considering Yasmin over [oral contraceptives] without drospirenone."
Yaz Warning Letter: Yaz Commercial "Over-promise[d] the Benefits and Minimize[d] the Risks"
The second warning letter came in October 2008, and again the FDA found that Yaz commercials “encourage[d] use of YAZ in circumstances other than those in which the drug has been approved, over-promise[d] the benefits and minimize[d] the risks associated with YAZ.” The 2008 FDA Yaz warning letter found that the Yaz commercials made it seem as though the drug could treat PMS and any level of acne, when in reality Yaz was only approved to treat PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) and moderate acne. As a result, the maker’s of Yaz had to run a $20 million advertising campaign to clarify the use and potential side effects of Yaz.
Yaz Warning Letter: Yaz Ad "Fail[ed] to Communicate Any Risk Information"
The third warning letter came in 2009 when the FDA found that Bayer’s advertisements for Yaz “fail[ed] to communicate any risk information” about use of the birth control pill. The 2009 FDA Yaz warning letter again found that Bayer was overstating the benefits of Yaz and the problems Yaz was designed to treat.
If you suffered an injury as a result of taking Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella and would like to receive a free consultation with a Yaz lawyer and receive email updates, please fill out the form on the right or call toll-free (866) 981-4800.
Learn More about the Yaz and Yasmin Lawsuits:
Yaz Lawsuits Information and Frequently Asked QuestionsLawsuits Filed Concerning Yasmin, Ocella, and Yaz Side Effects
Yasmin, Ocella, and Yaz Side Effects: Risks and Health Problems
Yaz Side Effects and Blood Clot
Yaz Side Effects and Stroke
Yaz Side Effects and Pulmonary Embolism
Yaz Side Effects and Gallbladder Problems
Yaz Side Effects and Heart Attack
Yaz Lawyer Ms. A.J. De Bartolomeo
Yaz User Suffers Stroke, Files California Yaz Lawsuit
Yaz and Yasmin Lawsuits now part of a Multi-District Litigation
National Yaz and Yasmin Lawsuits Filed Across the Country
California Yaz Lawsuits Coordinated by State Superior Courts
Why Girard Gibbs LLP?
Girard Gibbs is a national litigation firm specializing in securities litigation, consumer class actions and complex business litigation. Girard Gibbs' managing partner Daniel Girard was voted one of Northern California's Super Lawyers in 2007, 2008, and 2009 by Law & Politics, recognizing him as one of the top 5-percent of attorneys practicing in Northern California.
This website is dedicated to providing public information regarding Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella lawsuits and other legal information. None of the information on this site is intended to be formal medical advice. If you have medical questions about Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella, please contact your doctor. Additionally, none of the information on this site is intended to be formal legal advice, nor the formation of an attorney-client relationship. If you would like to contact our Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella attorneys for a free and confidential legal consultation, please fill out the form on the right or call toll-free at (866) 981-4800.
If you would like to contact one of our Yaz lawyers by mail at our California or New York offices, please write to Yaz Attorney, A.J. De Bartolomeo:
Girard Gibbs LLP - San Francisco Office
c/o A.J. De Bartolomeo, Yaz Attorney
601 California Street, Suite 1400
San Francisco, California 94108
Girard Gibbs LLP - New York Office
c/o A.J. De Bartolomeo, Yaz Attorney
711 Third Avenue, 20th Floor
New York, New York 10017
INJURED BY YASMIN, OCELLA, OR YAZ BIRTH CONTROL? FREE CONSULTATION WITH A YAZ LAWYER.
Please fill out the form below, or call toll-free (866) 981-4800.
Yaz Lawsuits Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What should I do if I want to speak with a Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella attorney?
A: Fill out the form on the left side of the page or call toll-free (866) 981-4800 for
a free consultation with one of our Yasmin & Yaz attorneys.
Q: How much will Girard Gibbs charge me?
A: Nothing. Our Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella attorneys do not charge our clients for bringing a lawsuit.
Q: How can a Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella attorney help me?
A: If you or a loved one were injured as a result of taking Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella, you may be entitled to financial compensation, and our lawyers may be able to help.
Q: What are Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella?
A: Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella are prescription birth control pills and Yaz has also been indicated
to treat PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) and moderate acne. However, the FDA recently found
that some of the advertisements for Yaz were misleading and overstated what the pill could treat.
Q: What are the differences between Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella?
A: Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella are combination birth controls that use the hormones estrogen and progrestin. All three birth controls use the progestin known as drospirenone, or drsp. Yasmin (generic name Ocella) was the original birth control pill to use drsp. Yaz is like Yasmin and Ocella except that it uses less estrogen and is a 24/4 day pill cycle, while Yasmin and Ocella are 21/7 day pill cycles.
Q: Who makes Yaz and Yasmin?
A: Yaz and Yasmin are manufactured by Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals and originally developed by Berlex Laboratories, which is now owned by Bayer.
