More than 200 women have filed lawsuits against the manufacturers of Yaz and Yasmin as of February 2010. These lawsuits have alleged that women who use either of the two birth control pills face an increased risk of blood clots, heart attack, stroke, gallbladder disease and other side effects due to the unique hormone combination in these medications, and that the manufacturers failed to warn of the increased risk.

Both Yasmin, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2001, and Yaz, approved in 2006, contain the hormone drospirenone (DRSP). In addition to its contraceptive effect, DRSP can also help to treat acne and to prevent weight gain and bloating during menstruation.

However, the DRSP in Yaz and Yasmin can also lead to high levels of potassium in the blood, a condition known as hyperkalemia. This increased potassium can cause a number of serious and potentially deadly side effects for women using Yaz or Yasmin, including blood clots, heart attack, stroke, gallbladder problems, kidney failure and liver failure.

According to two studies published in British medical journals, women taking Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella are twice as likely to suffer blood clots compared to other popular birth control pills. Since 2004, the FDA has received reports of more than 50 deaths among women using Yaz or Yasmin.

Yasmin and Yaz lawsuits filed so far have alleged that the manufacturers of these products misled women about the safety of the birth control pills, as well as falsely marketed them as a treatment for certain other conditions. The FDA forced Bayer Pharmaceuticals to air a $20 million ad campaign in 2008 stating that the company improperly marketed Yaz as a treatment for acne and PMS symptoms—which it was not approved to treat—while downplaying the drug’s side effects risk.