Yaz and Yasmin Claims Moving Along..

01. February 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Yaz Yasmin · Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bayer's Birth Control Products

Many individual law suits have been brought in the USA over the side effects of the two similar birth control pills Yaz and Yasmin.  Those cases are being fought by the manufacturer Bayer but the court has ordered a mediation to take place and we are hopeful that some progress will be made towards resolving these claims.  Settlement in the near future is unlikely as the pills continue to be sold and to be very profitable for Bayer.  A recommendation to recall the drug was narrowly defeated by an advisory committee to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  It is expected that stronger warnings will be required to go with the product in the near future pointing out risks.

Yaz or Yasmin can cause dehydration which causes an increase in the potassium levels (hyperkalemia) and a decrease in the sodium levels (hyponatremia) in the body.  As potassium acts as a key control in cardiac rhythm, this imbalance can cause hyperkalemia arrhythmias, which, in turn can cause blood clots and thrombotic events such as stroke or deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or heart attack. Dehydration is also a risk factor for kidney stones and gallbladder disease. While other birth control pills can also cause thrombotic events, the cause of those effects are from the estrogen side of the equation. The thrombotic effects of Yaz and Yasmin are from the progesterin side. While it has long been accepted that high estrogen levels can cause these adverse events, Yaz/Yasmin/Ocella have been marketed as having low estrogen levels, thereby having a lower risk for thrombotic events. There have been several studies that have called this into question.
The Miskin Law firm is making claims related to these drugs and working with the class action court proceedings that have been started in Canada. The class action proceedings take a long time to advance and they stop individual law suits from proceeding for now. An application for certification of the class action is to be heard in the Ontario court in one year in February 2013.  Until then we are working to document our clients’ claims.  We represent people to get them compensation both individually and through the class action process. Once there is certification by the court of the class action people will have a choice of claiming through it or trying to get more with special circumstances in an individual claim. Contact us if you believe you have been harmed by Yaz or Yasmin. Email Murray Miskin directly: miskinlaw@yahoo.com

Canadian Vioxx Claims

30. January 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Vioxx · Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Merck's Super Aspirin was Vioxx

Merck’s popular anti-inflammatory drug Vioxx turned out to be a deadly drug which was recalled in 2004 with numerous lawsuits that followed, including, in Canada, a Class Action claim which took precedence over possible individual claims under Canadian law. Merck fought claims world wide settling in the USA only after a few years.  In Australia last year Merck did well after a major test case trial which found liability only in heart attack situations and specifically concluded after much expert evidence that there is no proof that Vioxx causes strokes or other cardiovascular problems.There is a national Vioxx settlement proposed for Court Approval which is to be heard in court in Ontario and Quebec. The amount of the settlement is proportionately much less than the US settlement on a per capita basis.  It provides compensation up to $100,000 in heart attack and sudden cardiac death cases and pays an amount capped at $5,000 in stroke cases.  Nothing is paid in the settlement for other conditions. This settlement was negotiated with Merck by the Class Action lawyers. The case is not settled until and unless it receives court approval. Our firm acts for a large number of individual clients, and we are determining how each of our clients will benefit (or not) from the settlement). We have now written letters to most of our clients who do not qualify for compensation under the settlement to advise them of their rights.  The settlement is binding on all claims unless specifically excluded. We had only one client with a stroke case who chose to opt out and then has rejected the settlement. We no longer act for that individual and we are not aware of anyone else who is not bound by the Class Action settlement if it proceeds. We have other clients who clearly benefit from the settlement and we will be writing them to confirm what is needed from them to allow us to apply on their behalves for compensation if the settlement is approved.  For some of our clients it is unclear if they qualify and we are also carefully reviewing those files. For people who are not represented by lawyers yet, we are still on request, reviewing situations and accepting retainers in cases that are likely to qualify for compensation.  See details of the proposed settlement:

http://vioxxnationalclassaction.ca/