• 29
  • December
    2011

Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration released documents stating that new information about the risk of blood clots from new contraceptive drugs may result in increased warnings on labels of popular birth control pills like Yaz.

Yaz and several other birth control pills containing the hormone drospirenone been implicated by a growing body of evidence that newer contraceptive drugs may pose more risks than older ones. The evidence flies in the face of marketing messages that have said newer contraceptives are safer than previous ones.

Because of this, the FDA will be seeking the advice of an expert panel to consider whether some women should not take the drugs. The FDA will reportedly not be bound to take any action based on the panel's advice, but sources say that it often does.

According to studies conducted by Bayer, the marketer of Yaz and Yasmin, these drugs did not increase women's risk of blood clots, but other studies do in fact show a risk.

According to FDA scientists, the current body of research on the matter provides conflicting evidence with no definitive answer. What seems most likely is that these drugs increase the risk of blood clots within the first 3 to 6 months of taking them. Older women are also believed to be at increased risk.

Yaz and Yasmine are two popular forms of these types of drugs. Yasmin was the first such drug on the market, of which Yaz is a later reformulation. Yaz has been marketed as "beyond birth control" based on its treatment of acne and a particular mood disorder.

The FDA has criticized Bayer for its marketing of the drugs, which has tended to downplay the potential risks.

Source: Associated Press, "FDA favors more risk info on birth control pills," Matthew Perrone, December 6, 2011.