NuvaRing Attorneys Report That Patients May Be Injured
NuvaRing Birth Control Puts Users at Risk of Pulmonary Embolism
Williamson County resident Robert Howell has filed a NuvaRing lawsuit in an Illinois south district federal court, holding the contraceptive responsible for the death of his wife. Thirty-one-year-old Erin died in July 2011 following a massive heart stroke. Doctors discovered that pulmonary embolism caused by NuvaRing blocked blood and oxygen flow to her heart and lungs. Robert has sought compensatory and punitive damages for economic losses, loss of spouse, and emotional grief under the Wrongful Death and Survival laws. His NuvaRing lawsuit also presses for strict product liability, breach of warranty, and negligence on the part of Bayer, the manufacturer of the birth control ring.
The litigation is one of 1,500 NuvaRing lawsuits that claim pulmonary embolism, heart stroke, and other injuries are caused by blood clotting induced by the third-generation progestin in the contraceptive. In February, a group of 30 women initiated NuvaRing lawsuits against Bayer claiming death, pulmonary embolism, and other severe complications following their use of the vaginal ring. A lawsuit filed in a Western Oklahoma district court a few weeks back claims that NuvaRing led her to suffer from bilateral pulmonary emboli. The blood clots moved up and choked supply vessels connecting her lungs. She recovered following hospitalization and treatment with blood thinners.
NuvaRing Side Effects: Pulmonary Embolism
Pulmonary embolism is caused when the artery supplying blood to the lungs is blocked. NuvaRing contains etonogestrel, a third-generation progestin hormone. It aids in metabolism of desogestrel, which is responsible for creating blood clots in human body. Those using NuvaRing birth control are at a greater risk of venous thrombosis. Blood occlusion caused by third-generation progestin in NuvaRing in leg veins gradually moves upward. These clots travel to lungs through the bloodstream and choke the arteries supplying blood to the heart.
Patients suffering from pulmonary embolism experience chest pain, palpitation, rapid heart rate, and breathing difficulty due to low blood oxygen level. Patients may faint due to abnormally low blood pressure and die suddenly.
NuvaRing Studies on Pulmonary Embolism Side Effects
In 2011, a research report supported by the FDA warned of blood clots and potential risk of pulmonary embolism in NuvaRing users. Researchers examined over 80,000 women on birth control contraceptives and found that those on NuvaRing are 56 percent more susceptible to blood clotting. The report claimed that first and second generation progestin-based contraceptives contribute to a mild risk of blood clotting while in case of NuvaRing and other third generation progestin-based birth control it is significantly higher. It also warned about deep vein thrombosis, stroke, and pulmonary embolism in women using NuvaRing.
In 2012, Danish research findings published in both the New England Journal of Medicine and the British Medical Journal also expressed fear over the potential risk of pulmonary embolism caused by NuvaRing. According to the study, hormonal contraceptives using third generation progestin could lead to 6.5 times greater risk of venous thrombosis, a key condition that causes pulmonary embolism. It found NuvaRing to be two-to-three times dangerous than single-hormone contraceptives causing ischemic stroke and cardiovascular problems.
Side Effects
Some women who have had NuvaRing implanted experienced serious and even debilitating or life-threatening side-effects. Serious side effects that have been linked to NuvaRing include:
- Blood clots
- Cerebral thrombosis
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Heart attack or myocardial infarction (MI)
- Pulmonary embolism
- Retinal thrombosis
- Stroke or cerebral hemorrhage
- Thrombophlebitis and venous thrombosis with or without embolism
- Toxic shock syndrome (TSS)
If you experienced adverse NuvaRing side effects or have a loved one who suffered injury following the implantation of NuvaRing, you may have a potential NuvaRing lawsuit.
More Information
Approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2001, NuvaRing is a non-biodegradable, latex-free, flexible vaginal ring containing a combination of the hormones estrogen (ethinyl estradiol) and progestin (etonogestrel). Etonogestrel is the active metabolite of desogestrel, a synthetic form of the naturally occurring female sex hormone progesterone. The NuvaRing contraceptive ring is designed to prevent pregnancy by releasing a steady dose of the hormone combination into the bloodstream through the vaginal walls over the course of 21 days. The hormones prevent ovulation, change the cervical mucus to prevent sperm penetration, and thin the lining of the uterus to, theoretically, prevent sperm implantation.
In October 2003, The New England Journal of Medicine addressed research suggesting that, when taken orally, desogestrel can significantly increase the risk of blood clots. If left untreated, such blood clots can develop into more serious conditions that may include stroke, heart attack, pulmonary embolism, or deep vein thrombosis. These findings, as well as those from other studies, were based upon analysis of the effect of oral contraceptives containing desogestrel.
A Swiss report was released in June 2010 which claimed there were approximately 40 deaths reported in the FDA database of adverse events associated with Nuvaring. The current label and package insert for NuvaRing refers only to studies conducted on women using combination oral contraceptives and suggests that adverse reactions associated with the use of combination hormonal oral contraceptives are likely to apply to combination vaginal contraceptives like NuvaRing. The label, however, states that there is no available epidemiologic data to determine whether the safety and efficacy of vaginal administration of combination hormonal contraceptives differs from oral administration. To date, there is no comprehensive study of NuvaRing and the long-term health effects of its vaginally delivered combination.
Our team of attorneys are now investigating claims and prepared to file NuvaRing lawsuits involving the vaginal ring contraceptive medication NuvaRing®. NuvaRing is manufactured by New Jersey-based Organon USA, Inc., a company that Schering-Plough Corporation acquired in 2007, and has been linked to serious events such as blood clots, pulmonary embolism, stroke and heart attack.Call us today at 1-800-632-1404 for a FREE CONSULTATION.
No Recovery, No Fee
We take NuvaRing litigation cases on a contingency basis. That means that there is no cost to you unless we and our co-counsel are able to recover a settlement or judgment on your behalf. So, unless your case is resolved by trial, arbitration, settlement, or other resolution, you do not have to pay any attorney fees to us, or pay any costs. Litigation costs include filing fees, court reporter fees for deposition, copying costs, experts, and travel. Litigation costs are paid by our firm so you don’t have to have cash to pursue justice against medical device corporations.
About us
Our team of attorneys have been retained by clients across the world as to allegedly defective and improperly designed medical devices and prescription drugs. In fact, our team of attorneys has represented patients around the globe for the allegedly defective Advanced Bionics HiRes90k cochlear implant device and other medical devices including the DePuy hip implant, the Mirena IUD and the transvaginal mesh and transvaginal sling devices including from C.R. Bard, AMS, Boston Scientific and Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon.
As a NuvaRing attorney, we will investigate your claim and with our co-counsel we stand ready to push your case ahead.
FOR A FREE CASE EVALUATION:
CALL TOLL FREE: (800) 632-1404
EMAIL: clicking here.
FILL OUT THIS FORM FOR FREE HELP:
NOTE: Our team of attorneys will review potential cases for all fifty states, including Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin and Wyoming.