Numerous women across the country, including many here in Colorado, may be happy to hear this news. Essure was already a controversial — and permanent — method of birth control after women began suffering from severe complications associated with the device. Bayer, the manufacturer of the device, announced that it was pulling the product from the U.S. market due to a drop in sales, but others say it is due to the ever-increasing number of lawsuits filed against the pharmaceutical giant.
Essure is a device implanted into a woman’s fallopian tubes. In order to prevent pregnancy, the device creates substantial scar tissue that effectively sterilizes a woman in whom the device is implanted. Even if it worked as intended, women began experiencing significant and potentially life threatening issues from its use.
Some women suffer from migraines while others suffer perforated organs, and other women attribute hair loss to the device. In some instances, women still became pregnant, which could be dangerous for both mother and fetus. Bayer already faces around 16,000 lawsuits from women who suffered complications from what the company continues to insist is a safe method of nonsurgical sterilization.
More women may file lawsuits against Bayer for the harm caused to them by Essure. Depending on the circumstances, family members of women whose complications turned fatal could file some of those lawsuits. Pharmaceutical companies owe a duty to consumers here in Colorado or Wyoming and across the country to produce products that are safe. When a company fails in that endeavor, it should be held accountable and provide recompense to those its products harmed.