Meet the Darlings of Class Action Lawsuits

What has me scratching my head like a dandruff shampoo commercial is the popularity of organic foods to maintain healthy, digestive systems inconsistently co-existing with the nonchalance of pumping women’s reproductive systems with artificial birth control.

Is it because women out there haven’t heard the dangerous truth over the racket of pharmaceutical companies, politicians behind the HHS, and majority of gynecologists peddling birth control products? Is there a mass denial of the atrocity of birth control’s side effects? Or could it be that the average person doesn’t actually know that these commodities tinkering with our procreative organs are the darling of class action law suits?

In case you missed it, I repeat in bold caps: CLASS ACTION lawsuits.  Meaning the birth control cases are in bulk, not isolated, meaning it could happen to you, your sister, your mother, or your best friend.

An obvious disclaimer, not in fine print, before I delve into matters:  this is not legal advice since you and I are not in an attorney-client relationship and I’m not geared toward chasing ambulances. Neither is this medical advice since we’ve already established I’m not wired to be physician and you are not my patient. Third, if you are under 18, stop reading right now and go grab your mother before you continue reading birth control 101. Finally, if you are squeamish, grab a paper bag. The side effects brought by FDA approved artificial contraception just might make you sick to your organically-fed stomach.

On the forefront of the birth control lawsuits are the Yaz and Yasmine, Ocella, Beyaz birth control pills which failed to warn consumers of causing the side effects of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, blood clots, heart attack, stroke and a number of cardiovascular and circulatory problems. There were 50 reported deaths with the FDA. Last I heard, Yaz producer Bayer set aside over $602 million in settlement for 10,000 (and counting) US cases filed.

Nuvarings (inserts) have also boasted of the similar side effects of life threatening blood clots, heart attacks, pulmonary embolisms, and Deep Vein Thrombosis diagnosis. More than 1,000 women have filed a case with the FDA and a Multi-district federal litigation court in Missouri has consolidated the cases into a class lawsuit against Merck.

Have you heard of Mirena? The so-called “hassle free” IUD has caused some complications of perforating the uterus and other organs, causing infections and abscesses. The FDA has reported more than 45,000 adverse effects like device migration, device dislocation and vaginal hemorrage. Again, Bayer is now the subject of lawsuits because this IUD also caused pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, intrauterine pregnancy, and pelvic pains.

The other dubbed “hassle-free” approach, the Depo-provera abortifacient injections, (given four times a year) is blamed for severe bone deformity and osteoporosis. Arguably, osteoporosis drugs can curb this disease except then the patient would have to contend with the side effect of cancer.

There’s the vaginal mesh slings (including the bladder slings) which currently have been responsible for scarring, pain during intercourse, internal tears, organ collapse, or repeat infections and are also the subject of pending class actions.

Then there’s the Norplant implant, silicone implants then hailed as a “breakthrough” but which only resulted in victim’s nausea, bleeding, depression and a settlement agreement of 29.5 million recently in Louisiana and 54 million back in 1999.

As for those user-friendly “patches” like Ortho Evra? In 2008, Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay 68.7 million to women who suffer from (repeat the refrain now) “risk of heart attacks, strokes, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism” or … sudden death.

I’m sure I’m missing other lawsuits, atypical FDA cases and unreported products dumped in developing countries but you get the picture. So, notwithstanding that settlement is not an outright admittance of product liability, I ask my fellow women:

Would you be willing to risk the known side effects of artificial contraception on your body, your baby, or your family? Or are you going to wait in five years or so for proof beyond reasonable doubt that your once healthy body is definitively or mortally ruined?

If you answered yes to both questions, then I pray dear baptized Catholic citizen, that you at least consider the well being of your soul in the light of these unchanging Catholic laws before meeting your Eternal Judge:

Casti cunnubi, Pope Pius XI declared, \”any use whatsoever of matrimony exercised in such a way that the act is deliberately frustrated in its natural power to generate life is an offence against the law of God and of nature, and those who indulge in such are branded with the guilt of a grave sin;\”

Humanae vitae stated, \”Similarly excluded is every action which, either in anticipation of the conjugal act or in its accomplishment or in the development of its natural consequences, would have as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible.\”

May you rest in peace.

© 2013. Anabelle Hazard. All Rights Reserved.