FAQ's: Yaz - Yasmin

What are Yasmin, YAZ, and Ocella?

What type of injuries do they cause?

Who is at risk?

What is the FDA's position?

What are Yasmin, YAZ, and Ocella?

YAZ, Yasmin, and Ocella are a new class of birth control pills (oral contraceptives) that contain estrogen and drospirenone, a "fourth generation" progestin. Yaz and Yasmin are manufactured by Bayer Healthcare. The generic Ocella is marketed by Barr Laboratories, Inc. YAZ, in addition to being prescribed for the prevention of pregnancy, is the only oral contraceptive indicated for the treatment of symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and for moderate acne in women 14 years of age or older.

What type of injuries do these drugs cause?

• Blood clots
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), blood clots that lodge in the body's deep veins (particularly in the legs) and hinder healthy circulation
• Heart attack
• Liver damage, indicated by jaundice (yellowing of the whites of the eyes and/or skin), dark urine or stomach pain
• Migraines
• Pulmonary embolism (PE), blood clots lodged in the lungs that cause breathing difficulties and chest pain
• Pancreatitis often resulting in the need for gallbladder removal.
• Stroke
• Breast lumps

Without treatment, some of these side effects, including heart attack, stroke, PE and severe allergic reactions, can be fatal.

Who is at risk?

Women who are currently or have recently taken Yasmin, YAZ or Ocella are at risk of developing one or more of these injuries. Over the past four years, more than 50 women using YAZ and Yasmin have died suddenly, some as young as 17 years of age. Their deaths have been attributed to cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, blood clots in the heart (intracardiac thrombus), blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolism) or stroke. Elevated potassium levels have typically been reported in these victims.

What is the FDA's position?

The FDA has repeatedly issued warnings to the manufacturers of YAZ, Yasmin and Ocella for failing to properly warn consumers of the risks associated with these drugs. Furthermore, the FDA has stated that advertising campaigns for Yasmin and YAZ were misleading and suggested a broad usage of the medication, minimized potentially serious side effects, and overstated the efficacy of the products.

Read more about YAZ Birth Control Side Effects.