Many lawsuits have been filed against Bayer, the manufacturer of drospirenone, due to the higher risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) that has been observed with combined birth control pills containing drospirenone and certain other progestins relative to the risk with levonorgestrel-containing combined birth control pills.
In July 2012, Bayer notified its stockholders that there were more than 12,000 such lawsuits against the company involving Yaz, Yasmin, and other birth control pills with drospirenone. They also noted that the company by then had settled 1,977 cases for US$402.6 million, for an average of US$212,000 per case, while setting aside US$610.5 million to settle the others.
As of 17 July 2015, there have been at least 4,000 lawsuits and claims still pending regarding VTE related to drospirenone. This is in addition to around 10,000 claims that Bayer has already settled without admitting liability. These claims of VTE have amounted to US$1.97 billion. Bayer also reached a settlement for arterial thromboembolic events, including stroke and heart attacks, for US$56.9 million.