The oral contraceptive market is a multi-billion dollar industry that always finds innovative ways to develop drugs that are designed to control unwanted pregnancies. Often, women who pursue an active sexual life without the fear of having children prematurely are its main demographics. Unfortunately, some products may yield unwanted results.

A defective product, especially those used for medical purposes can have a significant, often adverse, impact to the well-being of those who used it. Often, this results in a products liability lawsuit that could be costly for the medical products manufacturer such as this recent story.

One of the world’s biggest drug manufacturers agreed to settle medical products liability lawsuits filed by more than 10,000 women since 2009 over its line of oral contraceptives. 

According to the lawsuits, women suffered from excruciatingly painful gallbladder injuries from using the birth control pills. The contraceptive line is linked to serious and life-threatening injuries which include stroke and heart attack that could lead to death.

The complaints contested that the international drug manufacturer should have known about the risks and effects of its oral contraceptive pills.

The settlement agrees to pay a total of $24 million to claimants alleging gallbladder injuries. The deal was consolidated in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois and also in other state courts that had complainants.

The company has agreed to pay each customer $2,000 with gallbladder injuries and $3,000 for those that had theirs removed. The amount could be reduced depending on the number of claims and may also be nullified if less than 90 percent of plaintiffs agreed to take part. The company claims that their product does not enhance gallbladder injuries unlike others in the market.

Keywords: gallbladder injuries, oral contraceptives, unwanted pregnancies, products liability lawsuit

About The Author

Victor Dela Casa is a Filipino-Canadian who spent over a decade working as a business professional in Canada. Worked in IT, finance, marketing, international trade, public service, project management and the maritime industry. Earned degree in Economics from the University of the Philippines and Business Administration Honours from Eastern College. Currently based in the Philippines and working as a professional writer for a multi-national business processes firm.