Bayer, the makers of the controversial birth control pills Yaz and Yasmin, has funded a new study that demonstrates that while Yaz is dangerous, pills containing drosperinone are better at protecting women from unwanted pregnancies.
The study finds that birth control pills that utilize a drug-free time period for shorter periods of time (drosperinone has a longer life span in the blood stream), mixed with those pills like Yaz that contain drosperinone, also can act as diuretic because drosperinone is a long-lasting progestin. Right now Yaz, Yasmin and Beyaz are the only drugs on the market that can contain drosperinone.
Basically, Bayer paid German researchers to study a database that had more than 52,000 patient files of women that were taking Yaz. The study was conducted by comparing the rates of failure or how many unwanted pregnancies occurred in women taking different birth control pills. According to the information from the study, the women that were taking pills that contained drosperinone has less failure than those that took other progestins.
Even though this news should be worth celebrating for Bayer, it doesn’t take away from the fact that the company has thousands of lawsuits being filed against it by women who have suffered from the adverse side effects of Yaz or Yasmin. Some of these side effects include heart problems, gallbladder problems, strokes and blood clots.
While there are plenty of studies that show the dangers of drugs like Yaz that contain drosperinone, Bayer could care less. In a previous statement made when addressing the risks of Yaz, Bayer’s then lawyer, David Stewart, stated, “The reality is that Yaz and Yasmin are far more aggressive birth control drugs than previous generations.”
Bayer officials completely maintain their belief that all birth control pills contain the potential to cause severe health risks. In fact, Bayer is so steadfast in that belief that they released more drugs with droperinone in them, Beyaz and Safyral.
One thing certain: While Bayer is ready and willing to defend its birth control drugs against all lawsuits and claims against them, the new study does nothing to help the company see the error of their ways. If anything, this new study just encourages Bayer to think that it has done nothing wrong. For Bayer, at least, the risks are worth it.
