Gianvi birth control pills can cause severe, life-threatening side effects, including stroke, heart attack, pulmonary embolism, and toxic high levels of potassium. All of these Gianvi side effects can cause death.
Gianvi Overview
Gianvi is an oral birth control pill. It is manufactured by a joint project between Bayer and Teva Pharmaceuticals and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2010. Gianvi is the generic version of Yaz, a birth control medication created by Bayer. Both Yaz and Gianvi contain the same amount of active ingredients, benefits, and risks, including the risk of death.
Gianvi contains following active ingredients:
- 0.3 milligrams drospirenone, a synthetic version of the female sex hormone progestin
- 0.02 milligrams ethinyl estradiol, a synthetic version of the female sex hormone estrogen
What is the problem with Gianvi?
If your loved one has died after taking Gianvi birth control, you are likely seeking solace. Although there is no way to put a price on a life, there is value in also seeking justice — as a message to massive pharmaceutical companies that they cannot be allowed to put the success of their business ahead of the safety of the people.
At The Schmidt Firm, PLLC, we believe that Bayer is liable for injuries and deaths caused by Gianvi and other drospirenone-containing birth control pills, such as Yaz. Many women who took Gianvi were first prescribed Yaz, and then switched to Gianvi in 2010 because it was cheaper and equally effective.
When Bayer first introduced Yaz, the company organized a massive advertising campaign that quickly made Yaz the top-selling birth control pill in the United States. Tens of millions of women who were using older types of birth control switched to Bayer’s new products. Part of the reason for the switch was because Bayer advertised that the pills could enhance a woman’s quality of life. For example, one ad noted that “all birth control pills are 99% effective and can give you shorter, lighter periods. But there’s one pill that goes beyond the rest. It’s Yaz.”
Another popular advertisement featured balloons labeled “moodiness,” “irritability,” “bloating,” “fatigue,” and “acne.” After the ads ran, 97% of women thought that Yaz could treat PMS. The FDA later sent several warning letters to Bayer, calling the ads “misleading.” Yaz was not actually approved to treat PMS or all acne — the FDA had only approved Yaz to reduce mild acne and treat a rare disorder called Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). Even more troubling, the FDA warned that the ads “failed to communicate any risk information.”
Tens of millions of women switched to Yaz because they believed the pills were just as effective at preventing pregnancy, but were better than the older pills because of the additional “perks.” However, in reality, Yaz actually had more severe side effects, which Bayer failed to communicate in the original advertisements.
How much greater were the risks? Drospirenone has a risk of approximately 10 per 10,000 women that will develop blood clots. With older types, the risk is approximately 4-6 women per 10,000. So, when tens of millions of women switched to the new birth control pills, there were an extra 4-6 cases of blood clots per 10,000 women. This extra risk translates to tens of thousands of extra cases of blood clots.
It is thought that the drospirenone in Gianvi and Yaz increases the amount of potassium in a woman’s bloodstream, leading to irregular heartbeat and changes in the body’s blood chemistry. This may help explain why women taking Gianvi are more likely to develop Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), a serious condition in which blood clots form in large veins in the extremities. If these blood clots break free, travel in the bloodstream, they can become trapped in smaller vessels in the brain, lungs, heart, or other major internal organs. This is how Gianvi can cause stroke, pulmonary embolism, heart attack, and death.
Bayer is aware that at least 50 deaths have been caused by its birth control pills. The company is aware of these deaths because the family of the deceased decided to file a lawsuit back in 2009. It is highly likely that there have been additional deaths since 2009. Bayer now faces thousands of lawsuits.
Gianvi Side Effects
- Depression
- Blood Clots
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
- Venous Thromboembolism (VTE)
- Pulmonary Embolism (PE)
- Hyperkalemia
- Stroke
- Abnormal heart rhythm
- Heart Attack
- Myocardial Infarction
- Gallbladder injury
- Pancreatitis
- Death
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading plaintiffs' law firms and handles cases in all 50 states. We are very proud of our legal achievements, but equally self-respecting of our firm's reputation for providing personal attention to each and every client we represent.
