American women have been using long-term reversible contraceptives such as intrauterine devices (IUD) intended to prevent pregnancy for years. These devices often emit hormones after implanting for those women who find it difficult to take oral contraceptives on a daily basis.
One of those IUDs has been marketed under the name Mirena. Mirena is manufactured by Bayer Pharmaceuticals. The IUD Mirena has come under scrutiny because of its dangerous side effects. There have been lawsuits filed around the country alleging that the product is dangerous and defective. Bayer is alleged to have intentionally sold this product knowing that it was dangerous and had concealed the risks of its complications.
The Mirena IUD has been used since it was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2000. However, there have been more than 45,000 adverse events reported that include device expulsion, device dislocation and vaginal hemorrhage.
The Mirena product is a T-shaped container of flexible plastic. It releases a continuous dose of hormone known as levonorgesterel, which is often found in other oral contraceptives.
It has been reported that in some women, Mirena causes serious complications, including life-threatening ectopic pregnancies. Ectopic pregnancies are pregnancies that are outside the uterus.
There are currently cases pending in both New Jersey state court and in federal courts in a consolidated case in the multidistrict litigation in the Southern District of New York (In Re: Mirena IUD Products Litigation, MDL Docket No. 2434, JPMDL).
The pending lawsuits claim that Bayer had misled women in its advertising campaigns in that this product is defective and chose not to reveal the dangerous side effects of the Mirena IUD. In addition, it has been alleged that Bayer had chosen not to warn doctors and other consumers about the serious side effects and complications.
Some women users of the product have suffered some incredible injuries, which required invasive surgeries. In one case, a woman filed suit against Bayer after she suffered a perforation of the uterus when the Mirena IUD moved from her uterus to the abdomen near the liver. This particular woman suffered vaginal bleeding and then a miscarriage.
In another lawsuit filed in California, a woman alleged that Bayer was responsible for several actions, including negligent misrepresentation, fraud and choosing not to warn consumers of dangerous side effects. The California woman suffered from abdominal cramping and pain less than one year after being implanted with the Mirena IUD. In the attempts to remove the IUD, doctors found that it had moved into a fallopian tube. This patient has undergone numerous surgical procedures.
Another issue with the Mirena IUD is that it does not prevent sexually transmitted diseases. The biggest problem with Mirena is the tendency for the IUD to move from the uterus through the wall into other parts of the body. The FDA has charged Bayer with making false claims that the use of Mirena will result in “increased levels of intimacy, romance and by implication emotional satisfaction.” There has been no evidence that this claim is valid. There are claims that Bayer falsely marketed Mirena implying that women would “look and feel great”, even though women using the product have experienced weight gain, acne, breast pain and back pain.
If you or someone you know has been injured or harmed by using the Mirena IUD, please call us for an immediate free consultation. Robert Kreisman of Kreisman Law Offices has been handling pharmaceutical defect cases for more than 40 years.
With our years of experience in trying and settling pharmaceutical defect cases around the country, Kreisman Law Offices provides the best possible services to our clients. Our service is unmatched. Please call us 24 hours a day at 312.346.0045 or toll free 800.583.8002 for a free and immediate consultation, or complete a contact form online.