Essure, a permanent birth control device produced by Bayer, has been used by more than 750,000 individuals since it was introduced to the US in 2002. Over 15 years later, in 2018, the device was taken off of the market. According to manufacturers, they recalled Essure because of a 70% decrease in sales after adding a black box warning to indicate that the drug may have very serious side effects, as required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Scores of women are now pursuing lawsuits against Bayer for experiencing these side effects, including severe menstrual pain, abdominal pain, and pelvic pain.
What is the Essure implant?
Essure was released as the first-ever female sterilization option performed without an incision or general anesthesia, an alternative to having a hysterectomy or tubal ligation. While intrauterine devices (IUDs) are a form of temporary birth control implanted in the uterus and are replaced periodically, Essure is implanted permanently in the fallopian tubes.
Due to its unique novelty, Essure was prioritized to become FDA approved after a hasty review process. It is now clear that more testing should have been done before releasing the device to the market. Most doctors are not clear about the best method of removal for the device without surgery, even though the recall now necessitates the product to be removed from patients.
Essure and Severe Menstrual, Abdominal, and Pelvic Pain
A lawsuit was filed by an Ohio woman, who received the implant in April 2012. She claimed that Essure caused her to suffer numerous complications, including abdominal pain, severe menstrual pain, and debilitating pelvic pain. This ultimately left her no choice but to get a hysterectomy, in October of 2014.
This victim stated that at no time, neither before nor after her implantation, did Bayer warn her against any possible complications. There is also strong evidence that the company was aware of these issues for years before the suit.
What led to the Essure lawsuit?
Between the introduction of Essure in 2002 and 2017, the FDA received approximately 30,000 reports of issues related to the product. Since then, about 32,000 lawsuits have been filed against Bayer, stating a spectrum of issues including severe abdominal pain, pelvic pain, and menstrual pain, as well as more serious conditions.
The suits assert that the product issues are due to the lack of substantive evidence about its safety, as well as the fact that manufacturers deliberately did not report any injuries they knew about to the FDA. There have also been complications due to the improper training of doctors on how to implant the device. Additionally, it is not clear how many people have truly experienced complications from Essure, as Bayer declined to release sales numbers in the US.
The Experienced Attorneys at Kwartler Manus, LLC. can Help!
Victims are filing lawsuits for both injuries caused and negligence. If you or someone you love have experienced complications from an Essure implant, contact us at Kwartler Manus LLC to find out how you can receive the compensation you deserve. There are lawsuits against Bayer for severe menstrual, abdominal, and pelvic pain, and other injuries caused by Essure, including:
- Hysterectomy
- Ectopic pregnancies
- Unintended pregnancies
- Breakage of inserts
- Migration of inserts
- Nickel poisoning
- Autoimmune disorders
- Heavy Menstrual bleeding
- Perforation of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and/or other organs
Though they stopped selling Essure in 2018, manufacturers deny that they did anything wrong. There are presently no class action lawsuits, but victims are able to file an individual lawsuit against Essure and receive compensation for their suffering. Our attorneys are dedicated to helping those who have suffered from these large companies’ mistakes. Contact us online or call our office at (267) 457-5570 to schedule a consultation.