Bayer Announces It Will Cease Production, Distribution, & Sale of Essure
As of Friday, July 20, Bayer has announced it will officially discontinue Essure, a controversial birth control implant device, and cease all sales and distribution by December 31, 2018. This comes after nearly 3 years of increasingly stringent measures taken by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to evaluate and restrict the use of Essure in light of continual reports of severe injury and death caused by the implant device.
Injures & Complications Associated with Essure Implant
Despite the company’s adamant claims that Essure is safe and effective, data suggests the implant (a small metal coil inserted into the fallopian tubes) has seriously injured between 27,000 and 30,000 recipients. The implant is intended to inflame the surrounding tissue, causing it to scar, harden, and ultimately obstruct the fallopian tubes in order to permanently and irreversibly inhibit conception.
Patients who have received the Essure implant have experienced a number of severe injuries, including:
- Puncturing of the uterus and fallopian tubes
- Hair loss
- Migration of coils into the uterus, abdomen, or pelvic cavity
- Excruciating abdominal and back pain
- Substantial weight gain or loss
- New allergies, sensitivities, and/or severe reactions
- Pain or weakness of joints and muscles
- Abnormal uterine bleeding
- New pain during sexual intercourse
- Death
Bayer’s Sale & Distribution Restrictions Failed to Prevent Injuries
In recent months, Bayer has received pressure from the FDA to address the pervasive lack of information among Essure recipients about the product and its risks. In April, Bayer responded by restricting Essure sales and limiting distribution to healthcare providers, such as hospitals, surgery centers, etc. It also adhered to FDA orders requiring the company to include a “black box warning” and an informed decision checklist on the external product packaging. However, this did not stop the barrage of reports detailing Essure-induced injury and death.
Though stories of severe physical harm from Essure continue to pour in, Bayer claims its decision to halt production of the product comes as the result of generally declining preference for permanent birth control among American women.
National Medical Device Attorneys Serving Women Harmed by Essure
Kershaw Talley Barlow has handled countless cases involving dangerous medical devices, including contraceptives like Essure. We have seen firsthand the personal, physical, and financial toll that such devices can take on patients, and our medical device lawyers are prepared to serve Essure recipients throughout the United States.
If you have received the Essure implant and have suffered any of the aforementioned side effects, you may be entitled to receive compensation. Our national medical device attorneys are prepared to take on large entities, such as medical device manufacturers, and we have the experience to help you build a strong case.
Call (916) 520-6639 today to speak to a member of our team, or contact us online to schedule your free, confidential case review.