Popularity and Revenues of Mirena IUD
If you, or a loved one, have suffered severe side effects from the use of a Mirena IUD you may be entitled to compensation. Contact a defective products lawyer from the Arentz Law Group immediately by filling out the contact form, or by calling 1-800-305-6000. An attorney is ready to do a free initial consultation with you to determine if you have a case.
Mirena IUD is an intrauterine device that provides birth control to the patient for up to 5 years. A healthcare professional plants the device within the patient’s uterus, and the slow release of the hormone levonorgestrel causes various changes to the reproductive system to negate the possibility of becoming pregnant. While the concept is great, that women no longer would need to rely on remembering to take a pill each morning, the actual product has some flaws that can cause painful and debilitating side effects. Despite the risks, Bayer (the pharmaceutical company that manufactures Mirena) has seen serious profits due to the products popularity.
Popularity of Mirena
Mirena found FDA approval in 2000. Since that time millions of women have started to use the device in an effort to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Mirena is not the only IUD on the market; and by the year 2009 there were already 7.5% of all American women who used birth control were using one of these devices.
Since an IUD is much more effective at protecting against an unwanted pregnancy, the devices are very popular. In fact, as of 2011, Bayer claims that over 2 million women use Mirena as a long term form of reversible birth control. While this number may seem large, it is still much lower than the 11 million + who still use the traditional birth control pill.
Those 2 million women, however, have provided a huge boost to Bayer’s bottom line. Mirena claims to help save patients money over the long-term. But with an initial price tag of $500 – $1,000 it comes with some sticker shock. Through marketing and women becoming more comfortable with IUD contraceptives, Mirena saw sales increase from $219 million in 2007, to $714 million in 2010. Those sales help to project Bayer into the 9th largest pharmaceutical company in the world, with total revenues of over $38 billion in 2012.
A large part of the reliance on the pill rather than an IUD is due to the fact that for several decades there was nothing trusted on the market for women who wanted an IUD. Back in the 1970’s the Dalkon Shield became a very popular form of birth control, however hundreds of thousands of lawsuits followed due to severe side effects. This resulted in the manufacturer pulling the product, and eventually filing bankruptcy.
Mirena IUD Side Effects
Although safer than the Dalkon Shield, Mirena still comes with its share of side effects. Insertion is a delicate procedure, and can lead to uterine perforation. Many patients describe the initial insertion, and the minutes that follow, as feeling as one very long painful cramp. These cramps may not go away. Some patients continue to experience them, accompanied by prolonged bleeding, nausea, weight gain, acne, and other discomforts. Some women experience expulsion of the IUD, and others have the IUD migrate out of their uterus and into surrounding organs.
Contact Arentz Law
Mirena IUD is supposed to help prevent unwanted pregnancy, and is often marketed as a safe alternative to daily pills. However, many women have been hurt even with proper use. If you have been suffered debilitating side effects while taking Mirena IUD, you may be entitled to compensation. Fill out the contact form on this page, or call 1-800-305-6000 to schedule your free initial consultation with a defective products lawyer today. Attorneys from Arentz Law Group P.C. can work with residents from all 50 states.