(WRIC) — A federal lawsuit has been filed against the makers of the controversial contraceptive “Essure.”
8News has previously reported that the FDA has received thousands of complaints about the device, some from women here in Virginia.
Now, a woman and her attorneys in California are taking on Bayer, the maker of Essure.
This is the first federal lawsuit filed and it comes just a few days before an FDA panel plans to review complaints about the birth control implant.
In the suit, Tanya De La Paz claims the nickle coil fractured inside of her Fallopian tube. She claims she now has heavy bleeding, intense pelvic pain and has been told by doctors she needs a total hysterectomy.
The lawsuit goes on to claim Bayer ha sbeen concealing adverse reactions to the device.
Women here in the Richmond area have reported to 8News hair loss, hives and terrible bloating related to Essure. A Facebook page called “Essure Problems” has more than 20,000 likes.
We are still waiting to hear back from Bayer about the lawsuit.
In the past, Bayer has told 8News that more than 750,000 women have had this device implanted with success and that all adverse events are listed on Essure’s product information.
Federal medical experts will take a closer look at Essure complaints in a hearing Thursday in Maryland. Click here to view Thursday’s agenda.
8News will be there, and Bayer has told us they will have representatives for us to speak with.
