RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Dozens of people, including a Virginia woman, are suing the maker of the birth control device Essure. They claim it’s caused serious and painful health problems.
Thirty-one women from 15 states are involved in the federal civil lawsuit. They all the say the device malfunctioned, puncturing their internal organs and causing a host of other problems. They want Bayer, the maker of Essure, to pay.
One of the plaintiffs, Saudia Jones, is from Newport News. She says Essure caused her to have serious abdominal pain, back pain and heavy bleeding.
8News reported earlier this year that some doctors were having trouble removing the device from patients. Jones says she may need a hysterectomy to have hers removed and says Bayer misled her about the safety and effectiveness of the device.
The women are asking for a jury trial, and for the company to cover their attorney fees and medical bills. They also want Bayer to pay for any future medical monitoring or tests they need, as well as for damages to discourage what they call ‘fraudulent behavior’ in the future.
The FDA has ordered a black box warning — it’s most serious warning label — for Essure. A Brazilian health agency has banned the sale of the device there.
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