August 16, 2012 — In response to a growing number of Mirena IUD lawsuits, Bayer is seeking to centralize the litigation. There are currently 16 lawsuits pending in a New Jersey state court, accusing Bayer of failing to adequately warn healthcare providers and consumers about the serious side effects of Mirena. There are seven more lawsuits pending in state and federal courts throughout the United States.
Bayer sent an Application for Centralized Management to Judge Glenn A. Grant, who is the administrative director of New Jersey state courts. Bayer hopes that centralized management will help conserve judicial resources, avoid duplicative discovery, and avoid inconsistent rulings. Bayer’s headquarters are located in New Jersey, and most of the lawsuits have been filed in that court.
In the application, Bayer said they expect a large number of lawsuits to be filed in New Jersey, because many law firms are advertising for potential cases. In addition, plaintiff’s law firms have indicated their intentions to file additional cases.
There are currently 16 cases pending in Morris County, New Jersey, involving 24 plaintiffs who all reside outside New Jersey. All of the Mirena IUD lawsuits allege that injuries occurred because of misplacement of the device.
Mirena is a contraceptive implant that releases the hormone levonorgestrel. It is a small, T-shaped medical device made of flexible plastic. It is intended to be inserted into a woman’s uterus, where it reduces the chances of pregnancy for up to five years. Mirena is also used to treat heavy menstruation. The product has been sold in the United States since 2000, and there are currently more than two million women who have been implanted with this device.
Unfortunately, there are some serious side effects of Mirena. One of the most serious is the risk of uterine perforation. The device can also erode into the uterus, migrate outside the uterus, cause scarring, and more. When these complications occur, surgery is often needed to remove the device.
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