- 03
- February
2012
Government watchdog groups are sounding the alarm after an investigation into the approval of popular birth control pills, Yaz and Yasmin, revealed four Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisors had strong ties to the drug's manufacturer, Bayer Pharmaceuticals.
Yaz and Yasmin came under FDA review after a series of seven studies reviewing the serious side effects of Yasmin and Yaz indicated the contraceptives, which contain the active ingredient drospirenone, are more likely to cause dangerous blood clots in their users. Bayer had conducted its own studies and found the risk to be comparable to other contraceptives on the market.
After review of the studies, the FDA advisory committee voted 15 to 11 to keep Yaz and Yasmin on the market, reasoning the benefits of the contraceptives outweighed their risks. Curiously, the committee did recommend the labels on the drug be changed to warn physicians of the higher risk.
