Yasmin - A Way to Go
There is often more to a drug's story than the legal battles fought over it. For example, consider this (link) article from the Jamaica Observer. The article does not go into the legal battles surrounding modern birth control, but simply presents the basic pros and cons of several pill-based contraceptives young ladies might wish to consider — among them Bayer's Yasmin.
The article illustrates clearly just how little information is publicly available or openly discussed about the drug's failings. The article mentions that Yasmin could help relieve bloating, but possibly have more side effects such as nausea. That's really it; the section on Yasmin doesn't address the other very serious side effects that have been discussed, such as increased blood clotting leading to heart damage or stroke, or the potential for high cholesterol leading to gall bladder disease such as gallstones and possible gall bladder removal.
This isn't to say the article does not address blood clotting at all. Down at the end of it, it does mention that blood clots are among the side effects of any form of birth control pill. However, it doesn't explain what it means by blood clots. There is no explanation of the role of blood clots in causing ischemic strokes and brain damage, or of a clot going to the lungs and causing a collapse. Nor is there any discussion of the numerous studies that suggest Yasmin (and its sister medication, Yaz) have a greater potential for causing blood clot than other drugs of their type.
Perhaps a simple article discussing the relative merits of various contraceptives isn't the place to have a major medical battle. However, there are hundreds of lawsuits active in the United States and Canada pertaining to the potential side effects of Yasmin and Yaz. As long as the information about these drugs remains scarce, young women will continue to receive limited accounts that do not explain the whole story.
