According to Merck & Company’s latest financial statements, NuvaRing sales decreased from $168 million to $164 million for the fourth quarter of 2012, a drop of more than 2% from the previous year. The decrease may stem from an increasing number of injury claims reported to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and NuvaRing lawsuits being filed throughout the nation.
Safety Of “Third Generation” Of Birth Control Being Questioned
When Dutch pharmaceutical company Organon BioSciences (later purchased by Schering-Plough which then merged with Merck & Co.) came out with NuvaRing, the vaginal contraceptive ring which releases low doses of progestin and estrogen hormones over a three-week period to suppress ovulation and prevent pregnancy, it was labeled a “third generation” of birth control.
This newer generation of drugs was supposed to be revolutionary for women and result in fewer of the most common contraception side effects of previous generation drugs, such as weight gain, fluid retention, headaches and unwanted hair growth. Sales of NuvaRing skyrocketed and its manufacturer made a lot of money.
However, the safety of these drugs is now being questioned. Third generation pills contain desogestrel – which has been shown to increase the risk of blood clots and result in serious injury or death. In fact, the FDA has found that they can double a woman’s risk of blood clots as compared with other earlier generations of contraceptives.
NuvaRing Side Effects Continue To Be Reported
The FDA has received thousands of reports of NuvaRing side effects over the past several years – and continues to receive reports of injuries, including:
- Blood clots
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
- Heart attack
- Heart arrhythmia
- Stroke
- Pulmonary embolism
- Liver cancer
- Gallbladder disease
If you’ve suffered a NuvaRing injury, you are not alone. Approximately 1,200 NuvaRing injury lawsuits are pending in state and federal courts alleging that the manufacturers failed to adequately warn users about the known increased risks of injury. Contact The Driscoll Firm, LLC, to discuss your situation and determine whether taking legal action is in your best interests.
